A group of buyers had a dining experience ‘out of left field’ when they visited Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato ahead of Convene 2016.

The group spent the day experiencing some of the treasures of the Hamilton and Waikato region including Zealong Tea Estate, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park and Hamilton Gardens as part of a pre-Convene famil, before being treated to an intimate dinner inside FMG Stadium Waikato’s media commentary box.

FMG Stadium Waikato is part of H3, alongside other Hamilton venues including Claudelands Conference and Exhibition Centre.

Dubbed ‘The First XV’, the intimacy of the dinner was in stark contrast to just 24 hours earlier, when a 20,990-strong crowd packed FMG Stadium Waikato to cheer on the Gallagher Chiefs to a 29-23 victory over the Blues.

H3 Business Development and Sales Manager Wendy Harrison says “after the big game here on Friday night, it was incredible to then have the whole venue to ourselves on Saturday and be able to offer such an exclusive, intimate dining experience for our guests”.

“It was the first time that we’ve held a dinner like this inside the media commentary box – with amazing views out over the field and towards the lights of Hamilton’s CBD it was the perfect spot from which to showcase the venue.”

Before settling down for a sumptuous three-course meal prepared by award-winning Montana Catering, the buyers were taken on a tour of the international rugby stadium, posed for a First XV team photo, and were surprised with a moving on-field kapa haka performance.

“It was great to have the opportunity to host this famil in the Hamilton and Waikato region ahead of Convene and to showcase some of the very best our region has to offer,” says Wendy, who along with Business Development Executive Dawn Stewart will be showcasing Claudelands on stand 58 at Convene 2016.