2016 08 09 - S&O Agenda - Item 8, Att 2 - AEC Noosa Convention & Performing Arts Centre Pre-feasibility Review

PRE-FEASIBILITY OF CONVENTION AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRES



4.             MARKET ASSESSMENT
4.1            NOOSA MARKET
The CCIQ Noosa proposal indicates that current Noosa MICE capacity is capped at around 250 delegates in
theatre-style (conference) seating and 220 delegates in dinner mode.

Information was collated by AEC on selected conference venues in Noosa with accommodation offering a range
of function room sizes to assess the range of facilities available, and was sourced from an online search only given
the nature of this high-level pre-feasibility study. Also, it is acknowledged that a number of the selected venues do
not meet the needs of the MICE sector in terms of accommodation quality but are included regardless for
information purposes. The quoted rate per person generally includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, in
addition to notepads and pens, etc.

Table 4.1: Conference and Accommodation Venues (>100 persons), Noosa
    Venue                                            Area           Max.             Max.         Room           Rate/      Meeting       Accom.
                                                    (sqm)       Capacity         Capacity          Hire        person          Fee        Rooms
                                                               (persons,        (persons,           Fee         (from)
                                                                 theatre)           table)
    Peppers Noosa Resort                               316             350             220           n.a.          $78           n.a.          198
    Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort                       n.a.            300             180           n.a.          n.a.          n.a.          176
    Noosa Convention & Exhibition Centre               n.a.            300             n.a.         $800           $52           n.a.            70
    (Noosa Lakes Resort)
    Noosa Blue Resort                                  216             215             180           n.a.      $54.50            n.a.            65
    Noosa Springs                                      200             200             150          $700           $69          $350           n.a.
    RACV Resort Noosa                                  187             180             150           n.a.          $71           n.a.          155
    South Pacific Resort Noosa                         145             150             130          $500           $58     Full $330             98
                                                                                                                            ½ $220
    Noosa North Shore Retreat                          n.a.            150             n.a.          n.a.          n.a.          n.a.          n.a.
Source: The Venue Zone (2016), Hotel Conference Venues (2016), assorted hotel websites.

It would appear that the available theatre-style (conference) seating locally could be as high as 350 (without further
investigation being undertaken regarding the reasons behind the identified difference from that in the CCIQ Noosa
study), although the dinner mode seating appears to align with the CCIQ Noosa figure of 220.

Other non-accommodation conference and theatre facilities – many of which are not fit for purpose – include:

      Leisure centre3 (1,200sqm with 1,200-person capacity):

       o     $41.00 per hour during the day, $52.80 per hour during the night.

       o     $43.00 per hour for The Lounge meeting room, $21.00 for Breakout meeting room.

      The J (255sqm with 330-person tiered theatre seating (378 with mezzanine) and 200-person cabaret seating):

       o     Commercial – $152.50 per hour ($40.50 per hour for meeting room).

       o     Community - $58.50 per hour ($20.50 per hour for meeting room).

      Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Main Hall (300-person capacity):

       o     Commercial – $50 per hour before 5pm, $60 per hour after 5pm.

       o     Non Profit – $30 per hour before 5pm, $40 per hour after 5pm.

      Bicentennial Hall Annexe4 (235sqm with 150-person capacity):




3
 The Leisure Centre was used for the opera last year, although Noosa Federation of the Arts Inc in its letter of support suggested that only in parts
of the venue could the performers be heard clearly.
4
    The Bicentennial Hall is now home of Noosa Gymnastics Club and is unavailable for regular use.




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