– On-time, on-budget delivery of new phase creates landmark International
Convention Centre for London; cements ADNEC’s credentials as influential
global events industry player –
London, June 2010: ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company) has
officially inaugurated the second phase expansion of ExCeL London, signalling
a new chapter in ADNEC’s emergence as a rising star of the global events
industry.
ExCeL London’s AED 900 million (GBP 165 million) expansion was inaugurated
today by His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, ADNEC Chairman,
and Boris Johnson, Mayor of London. The ceremony was attended by a VIP
delegation including H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qassimi, UAE Minister of Foreign
Trade; H.E. Mohamed Ahmed Al Bowardi, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi
Executive Council; John Penrose, UK Minister for Tourism; ExCeL and ADNEC
board members, and other leading figures from the UAE and UK public and
private sectors.
ExCeL London’s latest expansion creates a world class ICC (International
Convention Centre) for the UK capital with facilities including a 5,000-seater
auditorium, a breakout area for 2,500 delegates and London’s largest banqueting
hall with a 3,000-seat capacity. Additionally, exhibition space at ExCeL
London, the venue for leading exhibitions including World Travel Market
and DSEi, has grown by 50 percent, to 97,500sqm to become one of Europe’s
largest exhibition centres.
“Our ongoing investments in ExCeL reiterate our commitment to the global
events industry. They are also in line with Abu Dhabi’s strong and ongoing
relationship with the UK – a relationship that is decades long and born
out of mutual respect,” said Sheikh Sultan.
The UAE and UK governments aim to boost trade by more than 60 percent by
2015, said H.E. Sheikh Sultan, stating that successful partnerships such
as ADNEC and ExCeL, will have a significant role in realising this ambition.
“Additional areas of mutual growth for ADNEC and ExCeL are being identified,”
said Sheikh Sultan citing ADNEC’s building of a 252-room Aloft Hotel at
ExCeL London, in time for the London 2012 Olympics. ExCeL is host venue
for seven Olympic and six Paralympics disciplines for the London games.
His Excellency Ali Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, ADNEC’s Managing Director said
ExCeL’s phase two expansion had been completed in two years following ADNEC’s
acquisition of the premier London venue in 2008.
“This expansion catapults ExCeL into one of the world’s leading venues,”
he said. “ExCeL has proved a prestigious addition to ADNEC’s portfolio,
staging a number of global events including last year’s G20 Summit; both
ExCeL and ADNEC have won significant new business and various awards; and
there has been an ongoing exchange of best practices. We will build on
these achievements in coming years”
The ADNEC Group maintains the expansion of ExCeL sends a signal to the
global events industry of its dedication and ability to be true partners
in every sense of the term.
“The experience we have gained with our ExCeL investment will be pivotal
to how we move forward in creating an international network of world class
venues to enable our clients to benefit from global best practices,” commented
Simon Horgan, the Group’s CEO.
The expansion has also demonstrated ADNEC’s ability to respond quickly
to market demand.
“With ADNEC, we listened to what the market wanted and delivered what our
clients have asked. At ExCeL London, we have now created, on-time and within
budget, a world class exhibition and convention centre capable of winning
business from competing cities anywhere. I am grateful for Abu Dhabi and
ADNEC’s unstinting support to a shared vision that has led us through what
has been a challenging time for the events industry. ExCeL is now poised
to maximise gains from an industry upturn,” said Kevin Murphy, CEO, ExCeL
London.
Since last October’s announcement of the new ICC, ExCeL has contracted
AED1.64 billion (GBP300 million) in economic benefits for London, 1,000
new jobs have been created with an additional 2,200 expected to be created
by next year.
“More than half the contracted business is from events with an average
delegate attendance of 5,000. With our key stakeholders, we will continue
to invest in the site to create a world class business destination,” added
Murphy.
Key features of ExCeL’s expanded facilities include:
· Additional 32,500sqm of flat-floor event space – equivalent to 14 football
pitches.
· 9,500sqm of the 32,500sqm will be dropped floor space with 15m high ceilings
· 4,500sqm semi-permanent auditorium with retractable seating for up to
5,000 delegates (equal to the largest ICC in Europe – Berlin)
· Further conference, banqueting & meeting space accommodating up to 2,000
delegates
· 20 conference/meeting rooms bringing total to 65 break out/meeting rooms
· Additional F&B and retail area
· An extra 625 underground car parking spaces bringing the total to 2,225
· Largest production kitchen in the UK
· 25000m3 (cubic metres) of concrete has been used on the new phase – enough
to fill 10 Olympic sized swimming pools
· 7,500 tons of structural steelwork
· 70,000m3 (cubic metres) of excavated soil reused on site
· 75-85 percent recycling rate for materials removed from site
With a spectacular waterside setting near Canary Wharf, the UK capital’s
new financial centre, ExCeL London has staged more than 3,000 events welcoming
5 million visitors from more than 200 countries in the ten years since
it opened.
