The venue, which is currently under construction and has faced delays in its development during the past decade, will open for business in February 2026.

NZICC is set to transform New Zealand’s conference and events industry, boosting visitation and the nation’s economy.

Prue Daly, NZICC’s general manager, says the venue’s opening is a pivotal moment for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand.

“NZICC is a transformational project and we are thrilled to name the month we will open our doors,” she says.

“New Zealanders and visitors worldwide will be blown away by the innovation and thought that’s gone into every detail of the building – it’s configured for anything from a meeting for 20 people to an international conference for 3000 delegates.

“Located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, NZICC is more than just a convention centre – it’s a gateway to our culture, innovation and economic opportunity.”

NZICC has been more than a decade in the making, overcoming a major fire in 2019 and other delays that pushed out its original completion.

“Following the contractor’s delivery of the completed building, we expect to commence commissioning and operational readiness activities in the second half of 2025,” says Daly.

“It’s a complex undertaking to get ready to open, including scaling up our number of employees and associated training to provide the ultimate customer experience.”

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) has welcomed the announcement of NZICC’s opening in February 2026.

“It is impossible not to think about the history of this venue,” says BEIA chief executive Lisa Hopkins.

“When first conceived, the expectation for what it would deliver was enormous. The hurdles along the way have been heartbreaking, not just for the industry, but for the NZICC team which has been so dedicated.

“Now, instead of looking behind us, we can, with certainty, look forward, and it is fantastic to have the assurance that this time next year we will be welcoming a new era for Tāmaki Makaurau and New Zealand on the international stage.”

NZICC will be New Zealand’s largest convention centre and it completes the triumvirate of the nation’s investment in purpose-built infrastructure for business events – alongside Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and Tākina Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wellington. 

“The business events industry is valued at NZ$2.8 trillion globally and the potential for the sector to contribute to New Zealand’s growth goals, jobs, knowledge and business connections, as well as tourism and hospitality, is immense.

 “We are already looking ahead at MEETINGS 2026, which will be the 30th anniversary of this landmark event in June 2026, and NZICC is where we will be celebrating this milestone.

“Although it has taken longer than anticipated, it will be worth the wait and supports New Zealand and Auckland’s future as a global business events hub.”

With the opening of NZICC, New Zealand’s position as an aspirational destination for business events is enhanced.

“Business events is a long-term game – it is not uncommon for large international conferences to be booked four-to-six years in advance,” says Hopkins.

“Now with this certainty, the long pipeline of business for New Zealand’s flagship new facility is going to get longer and that signals great news for the sector and country as a whole.”