Ellerslie Events handles conferences for up to 1,000 delegates theatre style, gala dinners for 700 and cocktail parties for 1,200, as well as board meetings, product launches and weddings. Its rooms are set in the grandstands of Ellerslie Racecourse at 100 Ascot Avenue in Remuera, Auckland, about seven kilometers from the city center, and the team lists 22 spaces for hire.
Seminars and company events
The venue sells a day delegate package for full-day meetings and conferences and a small meeting package for groups under 35. Rooms have AV, lighting and Wi-Fi, and several smaller rooms combine daylight with blackout. Outdoor areas around the track can be used for breakouts or team activities. Formats listed by the venue include AGMs, awards and gala dinners, product launches, presentations and cocktail parties. On race days, the venue also sells hospitality packages for client entertaining.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are one of the event types the venue sells. The Guineas Ballroom lists weddings and formal dinners among its uses, with a layout for 650 guests that keeps room for a dance floor. For a smaller reception, the New Zealand Room seats 80 at banquet tables and has its own bar and a balcony over the course.
Rooms and capacities
The Guineas Ballroom, on the top floor of the Ellerslie Stand, is the largest indoor space: 1,400 square meters in three rooms that open into one, with ceilings from 2.1 to 7 meters. It takes 1,000 theatre style, 700 at banquet tables, 500 classroom style and 1,200 for cocktails, with its own bar, a private balcony and access to the grandstand. A skyway links it to level five of the Ascot Stand. The Newmarket Room also holds up to 1,200 guests and Cuvée up to 800. Mid-sized rooms include Tote on Ascot (450), Silks (400), the Great Northern Room (350), and the Takanini and Hunterville rooms (250 each). The New Zealand Room, at the top of the Ascot Stand, covers 355 square meters with daylight and views of the track: 120 theatre style, 80 banquet, 300 cocktail, 50 classroom and 25 boardroom. Smaller options are Pakuranga Hunt (170), the Remuera Room (150), the Jockey Club (140) and the Goldstar Lounge (120). The same team also runs Pukekohe Park, a separate site south of Auckland for events of up to 30,000 people.
Accommodation
There are no bedrooms at the racecourse. Hotels are a short walk away, and the venue arranges special rates for its clients.
Catering
Food and drink are run in-house by the venue's food and beverage team, from meeting breaks to gala dinners, and the larger rooms have private bars.
History and setting
Ellerslie Racecourse has been the home of thoroughbred racing in Auckland since the 1870s and hosts the Auckland Cup meeting and the Boxing Day races. The grandstands look over the track toward the Remuera skyline, and most conferences and private events take place between race days.
Getting there
The racecourse sits close to the Southern Motorway, with ample free parking on site. Greenlane and Ellerslie train stations on the Southern line are both within walking distance, and Auckland Airport is about 20 minutes away by car.
