Tākina, Wellington’s new conference centre, is now officially open after a ceremony that took place on the premises.
The 700 guests enjoyed the venues culinary capabilities from local sources as well as the new facilities in the heart of the capital’s cultural precinct, opposite Wellington’s waterfront.
Tākina already has more than 50 multi-day conferences booked for the first year, the first event being the Festival for the Future.
Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says: “As capital of New Zealand, the Tākina Convention and Exhibition Centre is an important asset for the city. In its first year it’s expected to attract around half a million international and domestic visitors through its family-friendly exhibitions and world class conferencing facilities. Tākina is designed as a place where we can share stories of the nation with the world, and where the world can share its stories with us.”
Tākina incorporates 10,000sqm of flexible conferencing space over two levels, with capacity for plenaries up to 1,600. The ground floor exhibition gallery, at 1,280sqm, is the largest in New Zealand.