The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) is located on the Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. The venue was opened on 29 June 2004 at a cost of A$167 million and is linked by a covered walkway to The Star Gold Coast. Managed by the Star Entertainment Group, the Centre caters for 10 to 6,000 people. Situated in Broadbeach, the GCCEC is within walking distance to tourism hotspots, five-star accommodation, shopping facilities and public transport. Expansion The centre was expanded at a cost of $40 million in early 2009. The makeover was funded by the Queensland Government, adding two extra exhibition halls, a registration office, three meeting rooms, three new kitchens and an extra 3,000 square metres of floor space in total. The Queensland Government commenced construction proceedings as a result of the increasing demand on the Gold Coast for larger space and concurrent sessions during national and international conventions and incentives. The final product required over 124,000 man hours, of concrete poured, of structural steel erected and of paint. Events The GCCEC is home to numerous conventions, from the association, corporate and franchise sectors to consumer shows and entertainment events. From the 2007-08 NBL season until the end of the 2011-12 season, the venue was home to the Gold Coast Blaze of the National Basketball League with the capacity to seat 5,269 spectators. During Blaze home games the centre was referred to as "The Furnace" and gained a reputation for having close games with three Blaze games during the 2010-11 NBL season going into overtime. Along with the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Queensland Firebirds, a Brisbane-based netball team in the Suncorp Super Netball played occasional home games at the venue until 2018. In 2007 the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) hosted its first-ever World Cup event at the GCCEC, pitting 5 nations of bull riders against each other in a team format; the event was won by team Brazil. In 2012, GCCEC played host to the Gold Coast judges' audition in the third series of Seven Network's The X Factor and the UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson bout - the first of its kind to be held in Queensland. The Centre hosted the Netball competition at the 2018 Commonwealth Games which are being held on the Gold Coast, as well as host the accredited media centre for the event. On 8 and 9 February