A plan to expand the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, has been revealed by local newspapers this week.
Reports by Insider Media and Belfast Telegraph indicate that a project is underway for a new building at Balmoral Park, home of the Balmoral Show. Deemed Northern Ireland’s largest agricultural event, the Balmoral Show is organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS).
According to Belfast Telegrah, “the new expansion at the former Maze prison site, which is located outside Lisburn, would see a new 5,000 square metre building” to complement the existing Eikon Exhibition Centre.
In the report, Colin McDonald, RUAS chief executive, said the project would allow large-scale UK events to come to Northern Ireland.
The new building will sit adjacent to the Eikon Exhibition Centre at Balmoral Park. The Eikon venue opened in December 2015 and has played host to numerous events including Comic Con, the NI Motorcycle Festival and the Irish Golf Expo. It has attracted over 160,000 visitors since it opened.
Speaking to EN, Colm Graham, sales and event manager at Eikon Exhibition Centre, confirmed the expansion plan. He said the project is in an early stage of development and declined to provide further details.
Growing interest
The RUAS chief told Belfast Telegraph that some events have already shown an interest in setting up. “It’s a new building, which is the same size of Eikon, and will double exhibition space,” he told the newspaper.
McDonald added: “The exhibitions and events which have come from Belfast down to the Balmoral Park site have enjoyed increased attendances, mostly from the Republic of Ireland.
“Most are saying if they had additional space, they would increase the size. There are UK events which would need the size and have expressed the interest.”
EN understands that this is the third phase of the Balmoral Park scheme and that it has already gone through a public consultation process.
McDonald said he expects the new centre to be ready for the Balmoral Show for 2018, scheduled for 16-19 May. It has been reported that around 100,000 visitors attended this year’s event.
RUAS also owns the King’s Hall, which formerly played host to the Balmoral Show.
The Belfast Telegraph reported that the show moved from the King’s Hall in Belfast to the former site of the Maze prison in 2013. The newspaper also revealed that King’s Hall is being turned into a healthcare facility worth £100m.
