Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau recently joined with Vbase to host a networking cocktail function for 100 tourism industry partners at Christchurch’s newest conferencing destination, the Deans Stand at AMI Stadium. The event was hosted by Leonie Ashford of Christchurch and Canterbury Convention Bureau and Alan Garner of Vbase, along with the Bureau team Sarah McDermid and Cindy Banville and the Vbase team, Hayley McKay, Janelle Brooking and Catherine Lee.
Guests were treated to a first look at the impressive facilities for conferences, meetings and gala dinners. The main lounge comfortably accommodates large plenary groups of up to 800 and banquet dinners for over 600. The adjacent Field Lounge is an ideal setting for exhibits, cocktail functions or smaller dinners, with spectacular views over the playing surface by day or night. Six smaller lounges on the same level are suitable as breakout spaces for up to 100 people.
AMI Stadium is three kilometres from the centre of Christchurch. Coaches can park immediately alongside the lifts that provide direct and easy access to the stadium’s event and conference facilities.

At the networking function (from left) Leonie Ashford, Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau; Sally Dickson, Conference Innovators; Tracey Thomas, Conference Innovators; Cindy Banville, Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau

Convene Auckland 2010, in partnership with the carboNZeroCertTM programme, is launching its inaugural 'green' award. Competition application forms will be available on the Convene website a week prior to the event. The form will ask exhibitors to outline the steps they have taken to prevent, reduce, reuse, recycle or offset the environmental effects of their stand. Exhibitors have approximately six weeks to decide how they will be green at Convene.

‘Roll out the green carpet and get creative - how will your staff travel to/from the expo? Are you going to provide handouts/giveaways? How will you minimise waste and energy consumption?’ asks carboNZero’s Josephine Rudkin-Banks. Judging will be based on a number of factors, relating to the exhibitor’s stand and attendance at Convene (as opposed to their organisation in general). The winner will receive two hours of environmental consultancy from the carboNZero programme and a selection of carboNZero certified wine. Applications need to be returned to the registration desk no later than 11am on April 20.