Content area
Full text
A proposal to turn the Queens Wharf Retail Centre into a 1000-seat convention venue has divided business, tourism and conference groups.
Wellington Mayor Mark Blumsky is talking to business about a joint venture which would see a private sector business take a long-term lease on a site near the retail centre to develop a hotel, to offset the cost of Wellington City Council buying the centre.
He believes it is the best answer for the centre which has struggled since opening in November, 1995.
Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce and conference organisers Conference Consultants and Management were sceptical about the proposal.
But tourism promotion agency Totally Wellington and the New Zealand Conventions Association said it was worth investigating further.
Chamber of Commerce chief executive Claire Johnstone questioned whether conventions should be a core business for the city council and doubted there would be much need for...