In the early 1970's Wellington Council with the leadership of Mayor Michael Fowler agreed to fund the building of a new venue specifically designed to meet Wellington's need for a musical theatre. It was also intended to replace the original Town Hall. In 1975 architects Warren and Mahoney were commissioned to develop a design for a venue that would be iconic to the Wellington cityscape. The design was approved in 1979 and building began in 1980.
On Friday 16 September 1983 the venue opened and, as recognition of the Mayor's determination to leave this lasting legacy for the city, was named the Michael Fowler Centre. Consequently the original Town Hall was retained to create a suite of buildings that would in time become the Wellington Convention Centre.
Initially opened primarily as a muscial performance theatre - the venue has since been adapted to a wide variety of uses - playing host not only to the many genres of live performance, but equally hosting numbers of conventions which deliver significant return to the Wellington economy.