The Government's asking what standard of convention centre the country wants.

It comes after SkyCity asked for public money, after revealing the convention centre it's building in Auckland is likely to cost more than the $400 million it was granted in gambling concessions to undertake the project.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce told Newstalk ZB's Larry Williams negotiations are now underway with SkyCity.

"We do have some options to reduce the scale and get what is euphemistically called 'value maximisation' out of this process. Then frankly if New Zealanders and Aucklanders decide together whether we want to have any extra bells and whistles and if so who would pay."