MEDIA INFORMATION ATE14 IMM Fresh infrastructure propels Sydney into bright new era The NSW Government is undertaking a series of major infrastructure projects to drive business development in NSW. They include Australia’s largest exhibition and convention centre at Darling Harbour, a major harbourside development at Barangaroo, new cruise facilities for Sydney Harbour and a new light rail urban transport system in the centre of Sydney. Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct Australia’s first fully-integrated convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct is underway at Darling Harbour, creating one of the world’s best places to live, work and play. At the centre of this exuberant precinct is the new state-of-the-art, 20-hectare International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC). Due to open in late 2016, the ICC is expected to provide AUD $200 million in economic benefits each year. The new ICC facilities will include: the largest exhibition space in Australia at 40,000sqm; the biggest meeting room space in Australia at 6000sqm, linked to both convention and exhibition areas; the biggest Australian convention hall capacity is able to accommodate more than 10,000 people over four areas; banqueting facilities for 2,000 people, double the current capacity; VIP premium entertainment with capacity of 8,000 people, suitable for both international entertainment events and ‘mega’ conferences; latest technology, including wireless connectivity across all facilities; two new hotels (5-star and 4-star) with a total of 1,000 rooms. A mixed-use site of about five hectares will also be developed next to the ICC site. It will include a landmark hotel of up to 900 rooms and approximately 1,400 residential apartments, student accommodation, retail, commercial space, a 400- bay public car park, and up to 2,000 square metres of community space. In the meantime, Sydney Exhibition Centre @Glebe Island is the interim facility for Top: Artist’s impression Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and exhibitions until 2016, during the construction of the new ICC. Entertainment Precinct. Middle: Artist’s impression light rail. Bottom: Artist’s impression Barangaroo. Other projects near Darling Harbour festivals, entertainment and leisure activities. It will include 2.6 hectares of The transformation of Darling Harbour is part of a public space, with the promenade larger southern CBD precinct redevelopment that completing one of the world’s great will become creative and cultural hubs around waterfront walks, stretching 14 kilometres Ultimo, Chippendale and Pyrmont by 2018. from Woolloomooloo to the Anzac Bridge. Headland Park - a grand harbour park for Key developments already underway include The Sydney, scheduled to open in 2015. City Campus Master Plan for the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), which is expected to A six-star, 70-storey ultra-luxe hotel is currently contribute an estimated $3.2 billion to the NSW proposed at Barangaroo alongside a second economy. An architectural highlight is the Frank casino, through James Packer’s Crown Group. The Gehry-designed Dr Chau Chak Wing Building which Australian billionaire plans to build what he has is expected to attract thousands of interstate and termed “the best hotel in the world”, with an international visitors each year. estimated cost of AUD$1.3 billion. The proposal received approval in November 2013, with the NSW Also in Ultimo, the New York-style Goods Line Parliament passing legislation to approve VIP-only Project will see a corridor of disused railway land gambling at the proposed complex. converted into an urban park and public space, including bike paths, study pods and outdoor New Sydney Harbour cruise facilities workspaces. The existing goods line is four metres above ground, running 500 metres from Central Sydney Harbour is Australia’s premier cruise ship Station to Darling Harbour. Work is expected to destination and the only port in Australia with two begin towards the end of 2014. dedicated cruise passenger terminals. Barangaroo Cruise demand for Sydney is soaring – up 30% in 2012 and up another 30% in 2013 to 265 ship The Barangaroo Project is a major new central visits. In February 2013, Sydney’s cruise season Sydney development located on a 22-hectare site peaked at 36 ship visits in just 28 days – on the western harbour foreshore of the CBD. It is confirmation that Sydney has become one of the destined to become the city’s financial and world’s most popular cruise destinations. business hub, reborn as a thriving public, residential and commercial precinct, complete with Sydney Ports recently installed a new mooring point a waterfront promenade, running the length of the at the Overseas Passenger Terminal to handle the site. increasing number of larger cruise ships now visiting Sydney. The White Bay Cruise Terminal, Incorporating a major new Headland Park, opened in April 2013 near Balmain, caters mainly Barangaroo is one of the world’s most ambitious for the domestic segment of the cruise industry. and significant waterfront redevelopments. Over Both terminals are a short distance from key tourist time, 23,000 people will live and work at attractions and shopping centres, and within 30 Barangaroo, while 33,000 people are expected to minutes of Sydney Airport. visit Barangaroo each day by 2020. At least AUD$30 million has been allocated to The site is comprised of three zones: redevelop the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) at Circular Quay during 2014. Cruise ships will still Barangaroo South - a major business, visit OPT during the upgrade, which will deliver tourism, residential and retail precinct improved passenger and traffic flows, passenger opening onto a public harbour front amenities and provisioning operations. promenade, including a new 500-room hotel. The first two commercial towers are targeted for completion in 2015. Barangaroo Central - a cultural and civic focal point for recreation, relaxation, events, Royal Randwick Racecourse news In another development, the NSW Premier and Qantas Group Chief Executive Officer, Alan Joyce Historic Royal Randwick Racecourse has been signed a three-year agreement in April 2013 transformed with a six-level grandstand, marking the largest tourism and major events surrounding racing facilities and a new apartment marketing partnership in NSW history. The deal hotel to open in 2015. The venue spans more than involved Qantas matching the NSW Government 80 hectares, with 15 distinct indoor and outdoor dollar-for-dollar to attract more international visitors, spaces, allowing the racecourse to cater for particularly from the United States, Britain, Europe, conference events, exhibitions, trade shows, China, Southeast Asia, Japan and New Zealand. dinners and corporate days. The 4,000-capacity Theatre of the Horse is an outdoor amphitheatre, a first for an Australian racecourse; it’s used for open- air concerts, fashion shows and other events. More information: The Adina Royal Randwick Racecourse will be a sydney.com, visitnsw.com 170-room, four-star hotel with 90 balconies and a Twitter: @sydney_sider, @NSWtips swimming pool, all overlooking the track. The Facebook: facebook.com/seesydney, hotel’s premier location is an advantage for guests facebook.com/visitnsw seeking to stay amongst Sydney’s racing heartland, Instagram: @visitnsw, @sydney yet within close proximity to the CBD, great Hashtags: #newsouthwales, #ilovesydney beaches, and sporting and entertainment precincts, including Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney Cricket Media contacts: Ground and Fox Studios. Jasmine Cook +61 (0)2 9931 1426/ +61 (0) 427 639 134 Light rail revolution [email protected] Tonia Davis Travelling by public transport in Sydney will become +61 (0)2 9931 1441/ +61 (0) 417 374 100 easier with the NSW Government spending AUD [email protected] $1.6 billion on a 12-km light rail track linking Circular Quay to the eastern suburbs. Other stops will be at Moore Park, Royal Randwick Racecourse Images: and the University of NSW. Meanwhile, the Inner West Light Rail extension has just opened, linking To view and order images from the Destination NSW image library, go to: the inner west with the CBD. images.destinationnsw.com.au In February 2014, the NSW Government shortlisted three bidders for the main contract to design, Create an account in order to view and order finance, build, operate, and maintain Sydney's AUD images required. $1.6 billion CBD and South East Light Rail line. Sydney Airport news Note: Some images require mandatory credits. From 2019, Sydney Airport is set to undergo a major change, rearranging its layout to improve passenger experience, increasing airport efficiency and meeting the forecast demand of 74 million passengers by 2033. Ground transport improvements and new integrated terminal precincts will ensure the airport remains Australia’s premier international gateway. .