Details are scant on exactly why the Government has finished its relationship with a consortium involved in the Christchurch Convention Centre project.

While indicative designs for the scheme have been made public, the crown has announced it won't continue to use the firm that came up with the design, Plenary Conventions New Zealand.

After years of negotiations, crown-owned Otakaro Limited will be taking over the anchor project.

LISTEN: Gerry Brownlee speaks with Mike Hosking

Christchurch Regeneration Minister Gerry Brownlee won't be drawn as to if there had been any intention for the consortium to be involved in the construction of the centre, on top of the design work.

"We've concluded some negotiations that have meant that this is the course that we're taking and you'll have seen their statement out today as well."

Design plans for the convention centre have been made public, with an opening date now set for late 2019.

There has been extensive public criticism of delays around the Convention Centre project, but Mr Brownlee is optimistic progress will now be seen.

"If you think about the justice precinct, for example, a lot of people wondered what was happening on that site for a very long time and then it more or less just sprung out of the ground pretty quickly."

The government is keeping their cards close to their chest over the exact cost of the convention centre.

"Bit like telling someone how much you've got in your pocket and then asking what you can get for it. We want to do it the other way round. We want to specify what we want, which the design does, and then negotiate the price," said Mr Brownlee.

So far $19.5 million has been spent on the project before work has even began and now negotiations looked to have turned sour with private sector company Plenary Conventions New Zealand.

Local MP Megan Woods said the government have some critical questions they need to answer.

"Why has the commercial deal fallen over. Why is it that the commercial partners have walked away, and really importantly, the government needs to tell people what is the cost of the new proposal."

Ms Woods said for years the government has said they were on the cusp of a deal, and are now just writing a blank cheque on the centre.

"Where they were going to deliver us a fantastic commercially-viable convention centre, that hasn't happened and now the Crown are going to be writing a blank cheque on the convention centre."

However Mr Brownlee has called the comments ignorant and said the original arrangements with Plenary were for the development and design of the convention centre and precinct.

"We have all that work and there was always a point where there would be a go, no go, on who would develop that entire concept. We've reached that point, we've announced that point and we're moving forward."

Christchurch's mayor Lianne Dalziel said the council will do what they can to deliver the convention centre in the light of the new proposal.

She's asked Development Christchurch to meet with Otakaro and discuss how we can ensure this project is sped up and delivers the best outcome.

She said given its location and its critical importance to the visitor economy and hotel investment decisions, we can't afford for this project to be anything other than transformational.