AusLeisure

South Australian Premier and Labor Party Leader Mike Rann has pledged to commit $394 million to an update of the Adelaide Convention Centre and to convert the City's River Torrens banks into an entertainment strip.

The pledge, made in advance of this Saturday's South Australian election, includes the demolition of a building between Adelaide's Intercontinental hotel and the main convention centre building.

Premier Rann believes that the centre is outdated and in need of an upgrade to win events major events.

"We need to increase the capacity of the Adelaide Convention Centre to compete with other states and prevent large-scale events being lost to interstate and overseas," Premier Rann explained.

"The industry already brings thousands of people here who spend money in our hotels, restaurants, shops and tours to our regions, supporting tourism operators and our economy more broadly."

The Labor development includes:

• A two-stage expansion of the centre to replace the plenary building with a 3,500-seat venue and expanding the existing main building;
• Upgrading the Riverbank to increase pedestrian numbers and enhance security; and
• Water and light features in the Torrens.

Construction would begin next year and be completed by 2015.

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