Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
| Company type | Public facility |
|---|---|
| Industry | Convention and exhibition services |
| Founded | June 29, 2004 |
| Headquarters | Broadbeach, Gold Coast , Australia |
Area served | Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Owner | Star Entertainment Group (a division of Bally's Corporation) |
The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC), situated on the Gold Coast Highway within Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, commenced operations on 29 June 2004 with an investment of A$167 million. The facility is linked by a covered walkway to The Star Gold Coast and is operated by the Star Entertainment Group, a division of Bally's Corporation. It has the capacity to host up to 6,000 participants.
Expansion
Responding to increasing requirements for larger venues and simultaneous events, the Queensland Government allocated $40 million in early 2009 to enlarge the centre. This development introduced two additional exhibition halls, a registration area, three meeting spaces, three kitchens, and expanded the floor area by 3,000 square metres. The construction process entailed over 124,000 hours of labor, utilization of 1,550 cubic metres of concrete, 375 tonnes of structural steel, and 7,000 litres of paint.
Events
The GCCEC serves as a venue for diverse conventions including those for associations, corporate gatherings, franchise meetings, consumer exhibitions, and entertainment programs.
Sports
Between the 2007–08 and 2011–12 National Basketball League seasons, the Gold Coast Blaze basketball team called this venue home, accommodating 5,269 fans. During Blaze matches, it was nicknamed "The Furnace" and became known for intense competition, highlighted by three overtime games in the 2010–11 season. Additionally, alongside the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, it occasionally hosted home fixtures for the Brisbane-based Queensland Firebirds netball team until 2018.
In 2007, GCCEC was the site for the first-ever Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Cup event featuring five national teams, with Brazil securing victory.
During the 2018 Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, the centre hosted netball competitions and functioned as the accredited media hub for the event.
Looking forward to the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, GCCEC is designated to accommodate volleyball and weightlifting competitions as well as powerlifting and sitting volleyball events.
Entertainment
In 2007, the centre hosted the 12th Congress of APSR.
The venue was selected in 2012 for Gold Coast auditions of Seven Network’s The X Factor and also staged UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson—the inaugural UFC event in Queensland.
October 2017 saw EB Games Expo held at GCCEC with Regurgitator performing their album Unit in its entirety.
On 8–9 February 2019, Eurovision Australia Decides took place here as its first-ever venue; it repeated hosting duties in 2020.
Although planned as the location for the inaugural Eurovision Asia Song Contest in December 2019, this event was cancelled due to production complications.
Awards
Over the last ten years, GCCEC has been recognized with more than 20 awards including the 2012 Meetings and Events Industry Award for National Meeting Venue (500+ Delegates) and the 2010 Meetings and Business Tourism accolade at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.