Centre bid set ‘on four sites’

Andrew Mathieson
AN OVERSIZED car park with bay views is the preferred site for Geelong’s proposed convention centre.
Government and lobby organisations are flagging Deakin University’s waterfront site to host conferences and exhibitions to bring thousands of visitors to the region each year.
Former Geelong mayor Ed Coppe said City Hall had shortlisted the car park as one of four sites for the multi-million-dollar project.
Mr Coppe, the chairperson of regional councils alliance group G21, said three of the sites including the car park were in Geelong’s Western Wedge precinct while the fourth was at Limeburner’s Point.
“The preferred site is probably Deakin’s car park,” he said.
“Out of the four they are looking at, that one that has the highest potential.
“The City has been talking to Deakin about their willingness to make it available for a convention centre. These discussions are ongoing and, at this point, there is no resolution.”
A convention centre was one of G21’s “priority projects’ for the region.
Mr Coppe said the Deakin site was ideal to accommodate the criteria.
“Deakin needs to decide what its campus development plans are for that site,” he said.
“But, obviously, the Geelong region also needs to grow that campus on the waterfront.”
Mr Coppe believed Limeburner’s Point, on the fringe of Eastern Park provided an “unencumbered” site with the most potential for further expansion.
City of Greater Geelong projects general manager Dean Frost said finding a site for the centre was one of council’s listed funding priorities.
“Enhancing and activating” Geelong’s waterfront would be a priority in development of the centre, he said.
The proposed centre would accommodate 1200 delegates and include 4000-square feet of exhibition space as well as dining facilities, meeting rooms, a business centre and shops.
Committee for Geelong deputy chairperson Bernadette Uzelac said the lobby group would endorse a Western Beach site.
“We certainly be in favour for an attractive site for the convention centre, one that would be obviously able to showcase our city’s natural attractions and that would be able to attract people to the city,” she said.