Venue updates and builds from around the world...
1 . Music to Hamburg’s ears
New venue Elbphilharmonie (Elbe Philharmonic Hall) is designed to resemble a waterside wave. Elbphilharmonie offers a variety of spaces for congresses, small meetings and receptions. There’s also a Westin Hotel on site for fine dining, accommodation and meetings.
The ‘Elbphi’ is part of HafenCity, the largest development project in Europe. The main congress jewel in the city’s venue crown is CCH – Congress Center Hamburg, currently being redeveloped to become one of Europe’s largest convention centres when it reopens in 2019. It will have 12,000 seats in its 50 halls. The entrance hall, rising as tall as the main building, will provide an additional multi-purpose space.
2 . Indian ambition
A Rs26k crore (US$5bn) Masterplan for a new convention centre in Delhi has been approved by the Indian government. The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) has said that the IECC, when completed, will be one of the biggest centres in Asia. Progress on the project has, however, been painfully slow.
Nearly 90 hectares of land in Sector-25 Dwarka were made available for the project which will include exhibition halls, convention centres, banquet halls, an arena, a financial centre, hotels, food and beverage outlets, commercial and retail services and common internal infrastructure facilities.
The planned IECC will be able to host up to 10,000 delegates, and will be 15 minutes from the international airport.
3 . Czech expectations
The Mayor of Prague Adriana Krnáčová has praised plans for a Prague Congress Centre extension.
The proposed extension to the Congress Centre consists of exhibition spaces and of the creation of quality public spaces in the site of the Pankrác square and its surrounding areas.
The New PCC international competition is looking for solutions for the space of the Congress Centre´s surroundings. It has invited architects, urbanists and others experts to work together. The deadline hand-in for the proposal in the first round is the 17 March 2017.
4. Employment achievement
Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre (Suntec Singapore) was named as one of the best employers in Singapore by the HR Asia Best Companies To Work For in Asia 2016 awards. Suntec Singapore was the first MICE venue organisation to be conferred the accolade since the award’s inception. An independent panel of judges selected the 20 winners from 160 participating companies in Singapore. The results were based on an evaluation process which assessed each company’s work environment, human resource practices, and the outcomes of an employee survey conducted by HR Asia.
5. AEG Ogden reappointed
The Queensland Government has re-appointed AEG Ogden as managers of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) for five year period from 1 July 2017, together with a five-year option. AEG Ogden, the leading venue management company in the Asia Pacific with venues throughout Australia, Asia and the Middle East, has managed BCEC since its opening in 1995.
Queensland’s deputy premier and minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Jackie Trad said: “It’s wonderful news that BCEC will again be in these capable hands. Since it was built on part of the former World Expo site, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre has been a centrepiece venue for the people of Brisbane, Queensland – and in a very real sense, the world. BCEC continues to be a major contributor to boosting Queensland’s economy.”
During 21 years of operation, BCEC has hosted 18,000 events and 14 million guests delivering AUS$3.87bn in economic benefit to Queenslanders.
6. Investment reward
The economic impact of the San Diego Convention Center has been praised by officials.
Clifford Rippetoe, CFE, president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corporation said: “This last fiscal year, events in our facility generated US$1.1bn in regional impact and $23.9m in hotel and sales tax revenue into the city of San Diego’s General Fund.
“That tax revenue has funded the paving of our community streets, helped build libraries and parks, and paid our fire-fighters and police officers, and an expanded centre will allow us to accomplish even more for the betterment of our city.”
Joe Terzi, San Diego Tourism Authority president & CEO, added: “Our clients have told us for years that an expanded convention centre is needed to meet the demand for hosting conventions in San Diego and stay competitive in the marketplace.
