Sydney Entertainment Centre given two-year lifeline

Plans to demolish the Sydney Entertainment Centre have been put on hold for at least two years following a naming rights deal with Qantas Credit Union.

The 30-year-old Darling Harbour venue was due to be demolished in late 2013 to make way for a new integrated entertainment and convention centre however the venue’s operators AEG Ogden struck a last-minute deal to keep it open.

The naming-rights agreement will see the venue known as the Qantas Credit Union arena and is now expected to be demolished in late 2015 or 2016.

The 10,500-seat indoor arena is the current home of NBL side Sydney Kings and also plays host to numerous concerts.

AEG Ogden, who also operates Australia’s largest indoor venue – Allphones Arena (Sydney Superdome), took over the Entertainment Centre in December 2013.

The venue is expected to stage farewell concerts by some of its biggest and favourite acts at the end of 2015.