Fletcher Building said the convention centre would be completed and handed over to SkyCity by by 30 June 2025. Photo: Supplied / SkyCity
The opening of the International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland has been delayed again and it will not be hosting any conferences or events before February 2026.
SkyCity chief executive Jason Walbridge said delays by the contractor Fletcher Construction meant SkyCity did not expect to commence its own commissioning and operational activities at the NZICC until the second half of 2025.
"The date is later than we'd hoped but offers contingency, as well as certainty for our customers," Walbridge said.
In response, Fletcher Building issued a statement saying the facility would be completed and handed over to SkyCity by 30 June 2025, as previously advised, though the completion date had been expected earlier.
"The remaining legacy construction works are concentrated on NZICC (expected to complete the build by the end of calendar 2024 with commissioning and handover in early 2025)," Fletcher said when it issued its full year report last August.
By October, Fletcher Building acting chair Barbara Chapman had dropped the reference to early 2025 in address to the annual shareholder meeting.
"Through the year, the Construction team completed and handedover the Convention Centre carparks and the Horizon Hotel, and the completion of Convention Centre is still on track for this financial year," Chapman said, though did not specify a date for completion.
SkyCity head of research Andy Bowley said the delay to June amounted to a 3-6 month delay from the prior assumed opening date in the second half of 2025.
"We understand that SKC had several large conference bookings in place ahead of the new opening date, which will need to be rescheduled," Bowley said.
"The delayed opening of NZICC will likely mean a material proportion of the pre-opening costs will now flow into FY26."
SkyCity's underlying FY25 profit guidance of $245-265 million included $20-30m additional costs of which NZICC pre-opening investment is $11m with the others being more compliance, on-line casino investment and Horizon Hotel start-up costs.
"SKC will report its 1H25 result on 20 February 2025, when we expect an update on FY25 guidance," Bowley said.
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