How GCCEC transformed the Gold Coast
Cutting-edge design. World-class dining. Unforgettable events. The arrival of the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) forever changed the city, serving as a prolific economical driver from the moment it opened on June 29, 2004.
GCCEC (2003 and 2024)
And while its role in the Gold Coast’s evolution is certainly something to celebrate, especially as GCCEC marks its 20th anniversary in 2024, the people who paved its construction and subsequent success deserve to be recognised. From construction, engineering, administration and production staff right through to executive leaders, GCCEC was built by a community of visionaries.
Splashed across the front page of the Gold Coast Bulletin on June 30, 2004, the unveiling of Queensland’s most significant landmark in 20 years cost $127 million to achieve. A partnership between the Queensland Government and Jupiters Limited, part of the TABCORP group, saw Peter Hunt Architects, construction company Multiplex, engineering firm Weathered Howe, and further specialist contractors fulfil the city’s growing need for more impactful event facilities.
Strategically situated in proximity to the Gold Coast’s tourism trifecta, consisting of its city skyline, theme parks and beaches, GCCEC was established on a site needing redevelopment when it was first earmarked in 1999. Little Tallebudgera Creek required realignment and a neighbouring creek filling in. New bridges had to be built. The Gold Coast Highway needed to be wider. 110,000-volt power lines, high-pressure gas mains and fibreoptic communications cables were relocated. Astonishingly, that was just stage one. Once the work was done, the team still needed to deliver an architectural masterpiece that seamlessly catered to a revolving door of guests from around the world.
The following stages saw land and soil pumped in from the other side of the Broadbeach waterway. The build required 26,000 cubic metres of concrete, 1,770 tonnes of reinforcing steel, 7,000 litres of paint, 124,000 hours of manual labour and scrupulous round-the-clock management. The result, after five years of profound planning and environmentally conscious construction, was a 3,000 square metre work of art that stands just 500 metres from one of the Gold Coast’s most iconic stretches of sand.
The completed centre featured a main arena with tiered seating for 6,000 guests, a grand 3,000 square metre exhibition hall and 900 square metres of external exhibition space. 1,400 undercover parking spaces, nine kitchens and 2,000 square metres of parkland and landscaped gardens further cemented GCCEC as a game-changing business events destination.
As the reputation of the centre grew, so did the need for more space. In 2009, two additional exhibition halls, three meeting rooms, three kitchens, a registration office and an extra 3,000 square metres of floor space were constructed to meet this robust demand.
As a result of the expanded facilities, GCCEC has hosted an extraordinary 3,612 events since it opened, notching up some 12 million attendee days in total. Its arrival ushered in a new era for business events on the Gold Coast and the breadth of events it attracts remains diverse.
Impeccable service, state-of-the-art technology, restaurant quality food and beverages and exemplary technicians have put GCCEC at the forefront of international business events. From the sales team to the floor staff, management to the caretakers, every department is regularly drawn upon to create an extraordinary customer experience. No event is too much of a stretch for this team.
For Microsoft Ignite Australia in 2015, which featured astronaut Buzz Aldrin as a keynote speaker, a full-scale go-kart track was constructed within GCCEC carpark. In 2007, 6,000 Chinese Amway delegates over four dinners were each served a five-course, lobster-laden meal in just 90 minutes as roller skaters and an Abba cover band performed. The annual Australian Cotton Conference has been staged at GCCEC every year since the centre opened, and each year brings an expansive cotton harvest-themed backdrop representing the country merging into the city.
GCCEC hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games’ netball and basketball competitions while serving as the Games’ official international broadcasting centre, welcoming more than 3,000 global media representatives. Six individual rodeos have brought more than 40,000 spectators through its doors. The 2007 Professional Bull Rider (PBR) World Cup, the Harlem Globetrotters’ 2015 Tour, the 2022 TV Week Logie Awards, Sexpo 2014 and many more big-ticket events have all called GCCEC home.
Its largest event, catering to 37,000 visitors alone, was the 2004 Queensland Motorcycle Show which showcased the two-wheeling world’s latest and greatest offerings in the state’s first stand-alone international exhibition.
GCCEC also secured performances by some of the world’s most acclaimed musical stars including UB40 (who performed in 2004 and again in 2024), Blondie, Chris Isaak, Pink, Keith Urban, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Nick Cave, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, George Benson, 50 Cent and The Wiggles.
As the centre reflects on 20 years of innovation, creativity and laser-focused customer service, it’s clear there is no place in Australia quite like GCCEC. As former Queensland premier, Peter Beattie, said in 2004, it is a “magnet for tourism” and has proven to be a “magnificent addition to the Gold Coast’s world-class attractions.”
