Global Alliance announces that US$1.49bn is being spent in redevelopments across its five member venues, adding 135,400sqm of meeting and events space.
Global Alliance is an international group of conference and exhibition centres that have joined forces to offer a seamless conference and event experience to international associations and event organisers whose events rotate around the world. Global Alliance members include: The Durban International Convention Centre (South Africa); Adelaide Convention Centre (Australia); Centro Banamex (Mexico); ACC Liverpool (United Kingdom); and Advantage BOSTON (United States of America).
Adelaide Convention Centre is undergoing a US$314m expansion which will see the facility expanded over railway lines to link with Morphett Street Bridge. The existing plenary building, home to the first convention centre in Australia in 1987, will be replaced with a multi-purpose facility with plenary capacity of up to 3,500 seats. The expansion includes an additional 4,300sqm of multipurpose convention floor space, associated pre-function spaces, multiple meeting spaces and a ballroom built on a ‘bridge-like’ structure over the railway tracks. The new multi-purpose facility will consist of 3,000sqm of flat floor space for events.
ACC Liverpool will break ground on its new US$64m Exhibition Centre Liverpool and US$42m integrated hotel in the New Year. The new venue, which will form part of the existing ACC Liverpool, will be an 8,100 sqm, three-hall exhibition centre and 216-room ‘headquarters’ hotel. Exhibition Centre Liverpool will be capable of hosting large scale conferences, trade and consumer exhibitions, concerts and sports events on a national and international scale. Plans for the facility include an atrium, meeting rooms and a business centre. The three halls will each be 2,700sqm and will be separated by movable walls. Exhibition Centre Liverpool and the integrated hotel will be directly connected to the existing facilities at ACC Liverpool, home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, via an interlinking bridge.
Advantage BOSTON has also benefited from significant investment. The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority has already broken ground on two hotel properties adjacent to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC), which will add 510 rooms to the area upon completion. An additional investment of US$1bn is planned to expand the BCEC, adding 120,000sqm to the facility as well as a 1,500-room headquarters hotel. Boston’s Hynes Convention Center has also received more than US$59.7m in enhancements, including technology and security system upgrades, new decor, and capital improvements.
Durban ICC has invested US$957,000 into renovations in its kitchens and meeting rooms. New automated drop-down screens and line data projectors have been added to each meeting room and hospitality suite to deliver on its clients’ objectives.
According to the Global Alliance’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Durban ICC, Julie-May Ellingson: “As members of the Global Alliance we are committed to ensuring that our venues are able to not only meet, but exceed, our clients expectations. As the architecture of meetings and conferences change, so too, must our venues. In order to stay ahead of the game we need to ensure our venues are fit for purpose and offer state-of-the-art facilities.”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
