Work on Dh10b 'Exhibition City' in full swing

ABU DHABI - As Abu Dhabi is eyeing for a bigger slice in the booming MICE industry internationally and work on the Dh10 billion ambitious 'Exhibition City' is in full swing to create world class infrastructure for international events.

By Haseeb Haider

Published: Mon 1 May 2006, 10:22 AM

Last updated: Tue 20 Jun 2023, 3:35 PM

The area surrounding the new centre is scheduled for immediate development and will feature hotels, serviced apartments for 2000-people, 17-office towers, a marina development and a retail zone with over 100 outlets.

"As part of the development, the existing Shaikh Zayed Grandstand will be refurbished and linked to the

new halls. Within it will be offices, food courts and a range of companies servicing the exhibition industry," said Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC), while briefing Abu Dhabi's business elite on the new project.

ADNEC Chairman: "Abu Dhabi has chalked out a ten-year plan to develop its MICE industry and to begin with annually 14 -international exhibitions, conferences and industrial fairs would be organised."

"The decision to build a new exhibition centre for the UAE was driven by an in-depth review of the existing and potential exhibition market. The conclusion reached by the Government of Abu Dhabi is that the demand from visitors and exhibitors has expanded dramatically and significant opportunities exist for new international exhibitions and conferences." In particular, Abu Dhabi is emerging as a unique market and the massive developments that are planned will support a range of significant exhibitions.

ADNEC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Simon Horgan said that the exhibition complex will include 57,000 sqr.metres of gross exhibition floor space, a massive 21,000 square metres visitor concourse and 7,500 square metres of multi-purpose halls. The new centre will also feature dedicated conference facilities for 1,200 people, banqueting areas and more than 30 high-specification meeting rooms, he said.

ADNEC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Simon Horgan said that the first phase of the project is already well under way and on schedule for completion by December 2006 to host the internationally recognised IDEX-2007 defence exhibition and conference.

Built in the 'U-shape' that has proven so successful in the best venues in the world, the centre would contain a central landscaped plaza for outdoor events.

He said that the focal feature of the complex will be an iconic soaring tower that will curve above the centre and look out to the sea.