New Facilities Detail

Claudelands Arena

This is a multipurpose Arena being built for the following activities;

• Musical concerts and live performances
• Major indoor sporting events i.e Netball and Basketball
• Plenary conference/conventions
• Award dinners and large presentations
• Flat floor exhibitions

In concert mode, the total seating capacity is expected to be 5,000 (depending upon stage position) while in sports mode the total seating capacity will be up to 5000 people with a mix of fixed, retractable and relocatable seating.

The Arena floor will be finished in concrete with a footprint of 2220 sqm (60sqm x 37sqm)

The main floor will be able to be divided or made smaller with a series of reduction and divisional curtains enabling more intimate spaces for conferences or banquets.

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The ceiling clearance will be 15m high with a full rigging system and catwalk access suitable for hanging and rigging large structures and light/sound for major concerts.

A mobile sports floor will be available for the major sports events.

The ground level of the Arena will provide general entry to the building with ticketing and reception areas located on the western and northern concourses. Access via the concourse will enable entry onto the main floor for exhibitions and concerts.

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The first level will provide public circulation and access to toilets and catering concessions. All access to the bowl seating will be from this level.

Full servicng facilities are available on the ground and first level including toilets and food and beverage concesssions.

A hospitality lounge (suitable for 120 persons in banquet mode) is located on the first level with access to the bowl seats via the concourse. Pre and post-event functions can also be held within the conference areas, which is directly accessible from the ground and first floor concourse areas. Outside of events this lounge/s will be able to offer a wide range of smaller banquet, seminar, workshop and meeting opportunities.

Conference and Function facilities

Claudelands is capable of hosting a variety of conferences and functions up to 1500 delegates. Using the wide range of facilities including the tiered auditorium within the Arena. The other conference facilities are all inter connected and adjacent to the Arena and are spread over two levels.

Furbishment of these two large conference spaces is expected to be at a four star quality and fully carpeted.

Full exclusive catering services are provided to the venue from Montana Catering Ltd. 

The Auditorium

The Claudelands Arena will provide up to 1500 or more seats for a large key note address or plenary session for a major conference. Either in a tiered seating or flat floor mode and closed down by be series of reduction curtains, the Auditorium can be flexible and available for a fully themed and functional space. Banquets for award dinners and presentations can cater up to 1500 persons.

The Heaphy Room

The ground level conference room (The Heaphy Room) is  966sqm in size, which can be divided into 3 separate areas, has a ceiling height of 5.5m and will be accessed via the northern concourse.

The Heaphy Room can accomodate  up to 800 persons for a theatre style conference, 250 in each dividable space depending on room layout. (3 rooms)

This room will also be the main banquet location and can accomodate up to 700 persons before triggering into the Auditorium

Full audiovisual, conference rigging and theming capacities are available within this space.

A pre-function area is available in front of The Heaphy Room and is accessable from the public concourse area 

Direct access is provided from the pre-function space into the Exhibition Hall A to the east, offerering flexibility for those conferences requiring a trade component.

 

Meeting Rooms and Function spaces

The first floor meeting room will be approximately 250sqm dividable into 2 separate rooms with a ceiling height of 3.5m. This location can accomodate 245 persons in theatre style, or 75 persons in one divided room and 192 persons in the other. The Arena Lounge can also cater to 120 persons for a banquet.  

Further rooms are available to cater to specific breakouts, meetings and conferencing needs including a well presented boardroom and technical spaces.

Conference Space Summary

Area	Detail
Arena tiered seating	Up to 1500 seats closed down by reduction curtains
Arena Lounge	120 persons ( banquet)
Lower conference	966 sqm (dividable by 3)
Upper conference	250 sqm (dividable by 2)
Breakout rooms	X 4

Exhibitions and Events

Approximately 10,000 sqm of indoor exhibition space and a multitude of outdoor areas will be available on the Claudelands site.

The Arena Floor

The Arena will have 2220sqm of concrete flat floor space , ideal for exhibitions

The Heaphy Room

The Heaphy Room will be fully carpeted and be available for exhibitions as well as banquets. With a 5.5m ceiling height and full lighting grids, is ideal for the cleaner style exhibition event. This hall also has the flow from the prefunction space into Hall A

Hall A & Hall B

Both indoor exhibition halls offer approximately 2,000 sq m each of exhibition space and are accessable from the northern internal concourse running east to west or from outside from the exhibition plaza and car parks. The ceiling heights are 7m at the peak and can cater for 115 of 3 x 3 exhbition spaces   

Hall C (Brooklyn Court)

Brooklyn Court is an indoor exhibition space used predominantly for livestock shows and demonstration/exhibitions. This building will remain as it is today and can cater to approximatley 130 3x3 booths. This building has a floor size of 2065 sqm and a ceiling height of 7m at the peak

Covered Area (Hall D) (new)

A new covered exhibition space adjacent to and on the northern side of Hall C and will replace B Block.  It has a floor size of 1,080sqm and a peaked ceiling height of 7m.

Exhibition Hall Area Summary

Area	Detail
Hall A	proposed to  be 2,000sqm
Hall B	proposed to be 2,000sqm
Hall C	2,065sqm
Hall D	proposed to be 1,080sqm
Arena floor	2,220sqm
The Heaphy Room	1,000sqm

Stables and Milking Shed

The existing stables and milking complex can host over 100 horses, while the milking shed and cattle wash down area are provided at the western end of the building. It is expected that a minor upgrade to improve facilities will occur.

Historic Claudelands Grandstand (18)

The Grandstand was built in 1878 and moved to the Claudelands Showgrounds (adjacent to Heaphy Terrace) in the early 1900's  from Cambridge to be used as a grandstand for viewing the gallops and trotting horses. Due to the shift of the galloping track in 1926 to Te Rapa the grandstand was realigned to fit with the new Trotting track, however with the demise of the trotting track in the later years the position of the stand was no longer functional. It was proposed to be relocated as part of the Claudelands development and with support of the NZ Historic Places Trust and the Waikato Historical Society a resource consent was granted to relocate and refurbish the Grandstand over to the centre of Claudelands Park adjacent to the playground.

The refurbishment is now complete and officially opened in February 2009. It includes an upgrade of the external fabric and seating area along with the establishment of an internal function space. It is expected to be able to serve to the park users as well as to the Oval hirers.

External grounds and venue flow

Claudelands Events Centre is located adjacent to the 96-acre (38.8 hectares) Claudelands Park and Jubilee Bush. The Events Centre’s area covers approximately 30 acres or 12.1 hectares. While the Claudelands Events Centre site is fully fenced, a series of internal relocatable fencing and gating systems will be used to manage an event or multiple events at the same time.

Claudelands Park

Claudelands Park is an integral component of the functionality and ambience of the Claudelands Events Centre. Connectivity will be provided around the Events Centre linking the Park and the proposed pedestrian link to the city.

From time to time Claudelands Park will be utilised for events on its own as well as in conjunction with the Events Centre. The system of gateways and with the utilisation of the Claudelands Grandstand located on the boundary between the two precincts; as well as to the car park make these two areas compatible.

Entry Plaza

An uncovered arrival precinct on the corner of Heaphy Terrace and Brooklyn Road which will be the first point of public entry from Hamilton’s CBD. The landscaped plaza will provide an opportunity to meet friends prior to an event and can accommodate pre event activities with special displays, marquees and mobile concession facilities. It will also create sense of space and will be the prime point of entry into the Indoor Arena, Conference and Exhibition Centre.

 

Outdoor Exhibition Plaza

This area is located directly in front of the northern side of the two exhibition halls A&B. This space is proposed to be an uncovered area of approximately 3,000 sqm with a concrete surface. The area provides an opportunity to accommodate marquees and mobile concession facilities with guests using this area to enter directly into the exhibtion areas.The Exhibition Plaza is intended to contain the central focus of the Event Centre site and has a niche market for those events that require a hard stand.

An extension of the Exhibition Plaza is expected to be added later, however in the first instance will remain as grassed spaces. There will be a temporary fence barrier located to the northern side of the plaza's allowing transitiion to and from the Oval.

 

The Oval

The Oval itself is a large grassed open space of 4.8h and is treated as a non- sports surface where events that require modification to the oval (eg motocross) or are likely to cause damage (eg circus or 4WD events) will be accommodated. Often used for horse events, its ideal for these special activities. With the relocation of the Claudelands Grandstand the Oval is expected to be utilised far more in the future. It’s also used from time to time as an overflow car park.

The Willows

This area will be developed as an open permeable grassed space and is adjacent to a set of large willow and oak trees. A great area for smaller animal and outdoor shows utilising the shade of the trees for parking and exhibitor or participant waiting areas. This area will be maintained in the development, however it will be fenced in a paddock style arrangement and can be utilised as an overflow for car parking.

Car parking

It is acknowledged that adequate on site car parking is important. A Total of 1300 carparks are required to be provided under the District Plan and to this point, approximately 700 formed and permeable car parks are proposed with these being located both on the eastern side of the venue adjacent to Brooklyn Rd as well as another adjacent to Heaphy Terrace.  The remainder of parks is proposed to be provided within in the Oval area (weather dependent).

 

Public access

Public transportation will play an important part and allocation of  temporary bus parking and public transport nodes will be managed depending upon events and will be located along Brooklyn Road adjacent to the Arrival Plaza and Service Areas

Bus shuttles will be provided from time to time depending upon event requirements, which will link to the CBD, other alternative parking and accommodation providers.