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Revitalised Darling Harbour Precinct Launched

12 Dec 2016

The revitalised Darling Harbour precinct, including International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), was formally opened to the public this weekend at the Celebrate Darling Harbour event, designed to give Sydneysiders a taste of the vibrant new city hub.

Visitors were invited to enjoy a parade of musical acts, including Grammy Award winner KIMBRA, and get a glimpse of Australia’s premier convention, exhibition and entertainment venue, before its first day of operation on 20 December.

Curious attendees experienced the five star convention and exhibition centres, 8,000sqm of meeting room space, 35,000sqm of exhibition space and a stunning 5,000sqm open air event deck, Australia’s largest Grand Ballroom and the 9,000 capacity ICC Sydney Theatre.

NSW Premier, Mike Baird, unveiled a commemorative plaque to officially open ICC Sydney, and said the venue and its team will revolutionise the city’s business and entertainment offering for visitors and locals alike.

“ICC Sydney sits at the heart of the AU$3.4 billion reinvigorated domain and has been delivered both on time and on budget. It is a magnificent accomplishment for the State and will play a significant role in boosting the local economy, generating at least $5 billion in economic benefit for New South Wales over the next 25 years.

“By its third year of operation, ICC Sydney will hold over 1,000 spectacular events annually and attract countless visitors to our shores for a year-round calendar of activity. Sydney is truly set to boom.”

CEO of ICC Sydney, Geoff Donaghy, said the venue will become a centre of innovation, underpinning Sydney as one of the world’s most desirable destinations on the international stage.

“We know that ICC Sydney will fundamentally change the way events are experienced in Sydney, and are committed to ensuring that each one is a show to remember. Our exceptional facilities and world class team will deliver a new benchmark for the industry. And in testament to our outstanding offering, we have already secured almost 500 bookings, with hundreds more in the pipeline.”

ICC Sydney features a striking contemporary design, purpose built to redefine the convention and exhibition experience, showcase the natural beauty of Sydney, and make the precinct a prime spot for people to live, work and do business in.

The flexible and fully integrated precinct is connected to the city’s key districts and has strong transport links and a raft of accommodation choices nearby. The revitalised public domain also now includes a stunning new amphitheatre event space for up to 11,000 people, and an additional 3,000sqm of green space in Tumbalong Park.

“The team at ICC Sydney is counting down the final days to opening, and I am confident that ICC Sydney is truly ready to dazzle. From the time we open, the venue will be activated with amazing events, starting with exhibits like The Hunger Games: The Exhibition and Brickman: Wonders of the World Exhibition, and performances from international superstars Keith Urban, PJ Harvey and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. We look forward to welcoming the world through our doors,” said Donaghy.