Yesterday's decision by Melbourne City Council to financially contribute to the building of the new Convention Centre shows vision and foresight, says VECCI.

The Melbourne City Council will contribute $43 million toward the project - $20 million for capital works, $15 million for a footbridge linking the centre to Northbank, $2 million for road works and linkages and $6 million for marketing the new convention centre.

"The new Convention Centre will provide enormous benefits for the retail, tourism and hospitality sector in the City of Melbourne, with flow-on effects to suburban and regional areas as conference delegates explore our State," says VECCI Chief Executive Officer, Neil Coulson.

"Since the late 1990s, Melbourne has been missing out on a substantial chunk of the lucrative convention and conferences market, a problem which was only getting worse with time.

"Yesterday's farsighted decisions by the State Government and the Council are an investment in the City's future, and will help Melbourne recapture its pre-eminence as a conference and convention destination," says Mr Coulson.

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VECCI Strategic Communications
Ph:      (03) 8662 5226
email: media@vecci.org.au