By Rebecca Devine of the Daily Post:

Fancy having a seat named after you in the city's new events centre? Or what about showing your pride in the building on your wrist?

As the completion of Rotorua Energy Event Centre draws closer, a major public fundraising campaign is being launched to involve Rotorua residents in the complex.

While one of the major aims of the campaign is to raise money - at least $500,000 is the goal - fundraising manager Nick Dallimore said perhaps more importantly was getting people involved with the centre.

A campaign named "Our Place, Our Space" was revealed at a launch last night and is being unveiled to the public today [Wednesday 10 May].

Energy Events Centre fundraising manager Nick Dallimore with the orange wristbands. Picture: Stephen Parker, Daily Post

To help with the fundraising people will be able to buy bright orange wristbands for $3 or, for several hundred dollars, name their own seat at the centre. That cost ranges from $200 for an individual up to $450 for a company. Money raised through the campaign will be matched dollar for dollar by the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust, up to a limit of $500,000. The trust kick-started the events centre project by giving the district council $12.5 million.

Mr Dallimore, said other ideas for fundraising included dinners and several auctions. Also being considered is a "sponsor my name" project where students from the district's 45 schools would be able to have their signatures engraved on the front windows of the centre.

To have their name included the students would need to secure a small amount of sponsorship money. Another idea is to put the glass planes in areas such as the City Focus for the public to sign at a cost of about $20. Once finished, the glass would become a focal point in the centre's Grand Hall.

Donations could also be made through the Bank of New Zealand. All money raised by the various activities will go to additional "bells and whistles" to enhance the complex, Mr Dallimore said. These could include smoke Machines, better lighting or sporting equipment.

The $25.1 million centre, being built in the Government Gardens, is due to be completed at the end of January.