The Government is standing by its projections for how many jobs will be created by the SkyCity convention centre deal.

It's emerged that the Government has been sitting on an independent report from 2011 which predicts the project will generate 720 new jobs in Auckland.

That's fewer than half the 1800 jobs the Government has been promising.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said the report looks at the wider economic impact on Auckland - rather than number of workers needed for the project.

He said the figures are based on information from SkyCity and the construction industry.