Sitting on the corner of Oxford Tce and Armagh St, the 28,000m2 facility boasts a 1400-seat auditorium, a 1000-seat banquet space, 2800m2 of exhibition space and 24 meeting rooms, making it the largest such facility in the country.
At almost $450 million – covering land, design, construction and equipment – the Anchor Project has been entirely funded by the Crown and delivered by Ōtākaro Ltd.
The Christchurch rebuild company’s general manager of Te Pae operations, Keith Beal, acknowledged the challenges the project has faced.
"Every hotel and hospitality and tourism business in town wants it finished, so it’s fantastic to have reached this milestone for the city.
“Even taking Covid into account, we still estimate Te Pae Christchurch will add around $60m a year to the local economy.
"So, it’s a long-term investment in the city’s future."
The public will get a chance to have a look around at an open day in the new year.
"Te Pae Christchurch is truly international standard, one of the very best I have seen and been involved in," he said.
The convention centre would greatly benefit the region’s economy, Steele said.
"Our delegates will stay in hotels, go to restaurants, cafes [and] bars, use uber and cabs, go shopping and even bring their families and travel throughout the region.
"Many of the conventions take place during the winter period, which supports visitor infrastructure during the traditional quieter months."
As the first "new generation convention centre" to open in New Zealand, Steele said Te Pae is "looking forward to playing our part in the regeneration of our city, but also in the regeneration of our industry post Covid".
