International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) is preparing to welcome in-person events from mid-October, following the New South Wales Government announcing its roadmap to reopen.

According to the NSW Government Gazetted Health Order, conferences and exhibitions can return at one person per four square metres, and entertainment events can return at 75 percent of their fixed seating capacity.

“We have over 90 events in the diary from October through to Christmas and we’re contacting our customers to ensure they are able to proceed with a fully vaccinated workforce, event attendees, suppliers and contractors – everyone that will need to enter the venue,” ICC Sydney chief executive officer Geoff Donaghy said.

“Our people are also keen to get back to doing what they do best, running extraordinary in person events, and have been sending in their vaccination certificates for some months before last week’s announcement.”

Through its internal COVID Taskforce, ICC Sydney has updated its EventSafe Operating Guide, which integrates NSW Government health regulations and parent group ASM Global’s Venue Shield program, and capacity charts.

Having gone through the details of the roadmap and latest Health Order, Donaghy said his team is confident they will be ready well before the reopening date is confirmed.

“We have been advised that the vaccination certificate checking process is currently being tested and will be ready for our reopening to in-person events and that vaccination attendance will be outlined in a forthcoming Health Order,” he said.

As the centre has operated under the same capacity conditions in the past, Donaghy said the centre has enough information to work with in planning the return of events.

“We will continue our advocacy with decision makers and industry representatives to further relax these conditions over time, such as moving to a one person per two square metre protocol due to the highly controlled nature of business events.”

The event regulations outlined in ICC Sydney’s EventSafe documents include:

• Capacity must not exceed one person per four square metres of space in indoor areas, and one person per two square metres of space in outdoor areas
• Capacity at an entertainment facility must not exceed one person per four square metres in the premises, or 75 percent of fixed seating capacity, which would be applied to Aware Super Theatre, Darling Harbour Theatre and Pyrmont Theatre for entertainment events
• Face masks to be worn by staff and customers in indoor areas
• Singing and dancing by audiences is not allowed in indoor areas
• Patrons can only consume alcohol when seated in indoor areas.