News briefs for February from NCC (New Zealand) Ltd
Note: images (as jpeg files) are available on request toCHRISTCHURCH: New Director appointed
Richard Maffey has been appointed Director, Operations & Client Services for the three venues, Christchurch Convention Centre, Town Hall and Westpac Centre for Sport & Entertainment. Richard was previously Manager Building Services, and has nearly 20 years experience with the Town Hall.CHRISTCHURCH: Cathy cheers for AIME 2004
Cathy Hemsworth, Director Sales & Marketing, had a fully booked sheet ay AIME 2004 in Melbourne. AIME (Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo) is the Southern Hemisphere's premier industry event, showcasing the best destinations, products and services at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. This year Cathy represented NCC (NZ) Ltd as part of the Conventions Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) presence, and participated in the pre-scheduled appointment programme, with a full book of prospective buyers.CHRISTCHURCH: Another Accolade Award
Christchurch Convention Centre won its fourth CIM Accolade Award for best venue in Melbourne, at AIME 2004. The award is voted by CIM readers throughout the Pacific Asia region.CHRISTCHURCH: World class tennis at Westpac Centre
Former world number one John McEnroe played Australian Wimbledon champion Pat Cash in the best of three sets for the Mercedes Challenge before a crowd of 4200 at the Westpac Centre on 2 February. There was considerable interest in the courtside boxes, with the excitement of a few wayward slams bouncing off the champagne bottles!CHRISTCHURCH: Great entertainment
Billy Connolly performed to two sold right out concerts at the Westpac Centre for Sport & Entertainment on his Too Old to Die Young world tour (13/14 February) and hometown star Hayley Westenra delighted two capacity crowds at the Christchurch Town Hall (18/19 February).CHRISTCHURCH: New dimensions to Salon Culinaire 2004
Salon Culinaire, the annual celebration of South Island food, wine and hospitality, is taking on new dimensions this year, with NCC (NZ) Ltd managing the event in partnership with the CPIT. The late June/early July event will use all of the Christchurch Town Hall venue, with expanded exhibition and demonstration areas, and a variety of new activities which will complement the traditional competitions that provide heated competition for prestigious titles.CHRISTCHURCH: Wellington had Lord of the Rings but...
Christchurch has worldwide premier of Winnie the Pooh and the Perfect Day, a brand new family interactive stage show from Disney Live! It took six years but at last venue manager NCC (New Zealand) Ltd can claim it - hosting the world premier of a major international stage production."This new Disney product is going to be marvelous and right up our alley. It's exactly the sort of family entertainment we know audiences love. Disney Live! presents Winnie the Pooh and the Perfect Day at the Westpac Centre 16 - 20 June, finally exposing New Zealand to that wonderful Disney creativity and the production values of Feld Entertainment," NCC (NZ) Ltd's Executive Director Mike Kelly said. After its premier in Christchurch the show will go on a national tour before crossing the Tasman to tour Australia, then Bangkok, the Pacific Rim and on to the rest of the world in 2005. NCC (NZ) Ltd has used every enticement and strategy possible to get the biggest name in family entertainment to Christchurch, and tapped their international network of contacts to help make it happen. And finally, it's paid off! "This is huge for Christchurch. It's great for the venue and it's fantastic for the South Island. Shows of this global magnitude and importance to the Disney marque are rarely staged in New Zealand so it will truly be a once-in-a-childhood opportunity for a generation.
It's the first time Feld Entertainment has launched a new stage show internationally, and Disney Live! is a new brand of live family entertainment. We can guarantee it will have all the hallmarks of classic story telling and state-of-the-art technology of their other international hits such as The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast," Mike Kelly said.
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