“We only get one chance to do this so we’re going to do it right,” she said.

570 jobs are expected to be created when the work begins in May next year.

The revised plan includes a new entry, space for 30 exhibitors’ booths, three meeting rooms over 420 square metres, a flat floor space for 450 people and a rooftop banqueting space for 410 people.

The original design, which wouldn’t have allowed for concurrent events to occur, was dumped after intervention from Cairns MP Michael Healy.

Today's announcement follows community disappointment in the past week over the State Government's shelving of the Nullinga Dam project and overcrowding at Cairns Hospital. 

“The Convention Centre is an engine room for the Cairns economy and as far as I am concerned the bigger the engine the better,” said Mr Healy.

“It will also compliment the Global Tourism Hub to further generate more for our region.”

A full business case is yet to be completed and the new timeline has pushed back the completion date to early 2020.

The facility will be closed between May and October next year to allow the majority of internal construction to occur.