The new partners are Skellerup/HG Leach and Works Infrastructure who join the Corporate Partner category, and Datacom and Materials Processing Ltd who join the Project Partners category. Mayor Kevin Winters will be presenting them with plaques this evening at a Rotorua Partners Programme function.

Rotorua District Council chief executive Peter Guerin says the Rotorua Partners’ Programme was established to provide a vehicle for companies and other organisations who wanted to contribute to major new projects and facilities for the Rotorua community.

“At this stage most of the funding from these partners has been directed to the development of the Energy Events Centre but other projects are likely to be incorporated into the Rotorua Partners’ Programme in the future. “

Mr Guerin said that construction of the new facility was progressing very well and now that the complex and challenging underground foundation work had been largely completed, people will be able to watch the building take form over coming months as the above ground construction gathers speed.

“The Events Centre will be a very impressive and versatile complex employing cutting edge design and the latest technology. There is no doubt this will cement our place as one of the country’s pre-eminent events destinations.

“Our Event Venues marketing team has already had an incredibly positive response from around the country to their active marketing over recent months, promoting the Energy Events Centre as a major New Zealand venue for large conventions, exhibitions, concerts and sports events. While we’re still a year away from opening, we have already secured a number of significant bookings that are being finalised right now. We are even ahead of our original forecasts for new business.

“At the Partners’ function tonight we will be screening out brand new marketing CD. This state-of-the-art audio-visual presentation combines real footage of Rotorua with a computer generated virtual reality tour of the new complex, as if the centre were all finished and operational. The CD is proving to be a very effective tool in helping us to generate business for the Events Centre, well in advance of the doors being opened for business.”