Herald property editor Anne Gibson says the Sky City Convention Centre project's been marred with controversy from day one.

She says it begins with the original deal to build the centre back in 2013.

Since then there have been disputes involving SkyCity gaming machines, Fletchers Construction being fined 40-million-dollars for project delays - and now today's fire.

Anne Gibson told Andrew Dickens just last week, SkyCity chief executive Graeme Stephens said it will open in October 2020.

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