The new 12,500-capacity Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre (AECC) has passed the halfway stage in its construction, it was announced today.
Work is ‘progressing well’ at the site of the new world-class £333m facility at Bucksburn, close to the city’s airport, with the hotel 1 on course to be wind and watertight in two weeks’ time.
The main building, which will contain the arena, exhibition space, conference centre and subterranean space, is also expected to be wind and water-tight next month.
The new AECC features three conference/exhibition halls including the main arena, four multi-purpose conference rooms, and 15 meeting rooms. The venue is expected to contribute an additional 4.5m visitors, £113m of visitor spend, and £63m net gross value added (GVA) to the Scottish economy.
The arena capacity is 12,500 people (9,000 square metres) with exhibition space of 6,000 square metres and an additional 33,000 square metres in the multi-purpose subterranean space.
It is located near Aberdeen International Airport and is due for completion in 2019, anchoring existing international events and competing nationally and internationally for new events, and is expected to attract major artists and events to the city.
The new facility is being delivered by Aberdeen City Council along with their Joint Venture partner Henry Boot Developments Limited, with Robertson Group appointed as the main contractor.
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Jenny Laing said: “This new £333m regional facility is a major component of our Regional Economic Strategy, so it is wonderful to see it progressing so swiftly.
“We are confident that the scale, quality and situation of the new AECC will ensure it competes with the best national and international venues and it will play an important role in helping to grow our local economy.”
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Douglas Lumsden said: “We see the significant investment in the AECC as vital to the region’s future prosperity.
“Work at the site is continuing at a great pace and I’m always delighted to see the progress.
“We are confident the new AECC will play a significant role in ensuring Aberdeen and the wider north-east continues to compete on a global scale by retaining existing international events as well as attracting new events and major artists.”
Nigel Munro, Regional Project Manager at Henry Boot Developments Limited, added: “We really are at a fascinating stage now, here at the new AECC site, where the shapes of the new buildings have now become clear and things are changing very quickly from week to week as work continues to progress well. I’m really looking forward to watching the second half of the project unfold.”
Over the next 10 years, the new exhibition and conference centre is expected to broaden the appeal of the north-east to a global audience, and contribute an additional 4.5m visitors, £113m of visitor spend and £63m net GVA to the Scottish economy. It will provide four times the exhibition space available at the current AECC, and increase the maximum capacity to 12,500 in the arena.
Up-to-date information and site photographs are available at www.aeccevolves.co.uk.
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