Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre facts for kids

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Grey Street face of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Address	Cnr Merivale Street and Grey Street, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Location	South Bank
Coordinates	27°28′35″S 153°1′6″E / 27.47639°S 153.01833°E / -27.47639; 153.01833
Owner	South Bank Corporation
Operator	ASM Global
Opened	6 June 1995 (1995-06-06)
Expanded	2012
Construction cost	A$170 million $140 million (2012 expansion)
Classroom-style seating	20 (Concord Ballroom) 16 (Arbour Boardroom)
Banquet/ballroom	2,000 (Plaza Ballroom) 1,100 (Plaza Terrace Room) 600 (Boulevard Room) 300 (Sky Room) 150 (Arbour Lounge)
Theatre seating	4,000 (Great Hall) 620 (Plaza Auditorium) 430 (Boulevard Auditorium)
Enclosed space
• Total space	171,000 square metres (1,800,000 sq ft)
• Exhibit hall floor	20,000 square metres (220,000 sq ft)
• Breakout/meeting	3,722 square metres (40,000 sq ft)
• Ballroom	25,000 square metres (270,000 sq ft)
Parking	Undercover parking for 1500 vehicles
Public transit access	South Brisbane railway station
Tenants
Brisbane Bullets (NBL) (1998–2008, 2016–2019) Queensland Firebirds (ANZ/NNL) (2008–2017)

The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) is a big building in Brisbane, Australia. It's a special place where large meetings, shows, and events happen. You can find it in South Brisbane, taking up a whole city block. The South Bank Corporation owns it, and a company called ASM Global manages it.

Building the Centre

The BCEC was designed by a company called COX Architecture. Construction started in March 1993. Before building could begin, the old World Expo Park had to be taken down.

The whole building cost about $170 million Australian dollars. Most of the money came from the Queensland Government. The centre was finished in May 1995 and officially opened on June 6, 1995.

Expanding the Centre

In 2007, plans were approved to make the BCEC even bigger. A company called Laing O'Rourke started building the expansion in 2010. This new part of the centre was finished in early 2012 and opened on January 25.

The expansion cost another $140 million, also paid for by the Queensland Government. It added 25,000 square metres of space. This included two new auditoriums, which are like large halls for performances or talks. They can hold 400 and 600 people.

How the Centre is Designed

The BCEC is a very large building. It is 450 metres long, 120 metres wide, and 24 metres tall. The roof has a special wavy shape, like five giant saddle curves. These shapes are called hyperbolic paraboloids.

The building is made strong with concrete walls. It is covered in steel. There is also a car park on the ground floor for up to 1500 vehicles.

What Happens at the Centre

The BCEC hosts many different kinds of events. You can find big shows like the Brisbane International Boat Show and the Home Show here. There are also wedding expos and travel expos.

Many students have their graduation ceremonies at the BCEC, including those from Griffith University. Art shows and charity events also take place here.

In 2014, the BCEC was chosen to host a very important meeting. This was the 2014 G-20 Australia summit, where leaders from the world's biggest economies met.

Sports Events

The BCEC has also been home to professional sports teams.

From 1998 to 2008, the Brisbane Bullets basketball team played their home games in the BCEC's Great Hall. The Bullets are a team in the National Basketball League (NBL). They moved to the BCEC because their old stadium was too big and expensive. The Gold Coast Blaze also played two games here in the 2011-12 NBL season.

The Queensland Firebirds netball team also played at the Convention Centre from 2008 to 2017. The Firebirds are a well-known netball team. They moved to the BCEC because it was a larger venue than their previous one. After the 2017 season, the Firebirds moved their home games to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Gallery

• Interior of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
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  Exhibition Halls

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  Boulevard Auditorium