Expo City is happening

The long-awaited start to the new Convention and Exhibition Centre Expo City project in Sakhir is underway, with a groundbreaking ceremony planned in the first quarter or in the early second quarter of 2019. The project, 10 times bigger than the  Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, is expected to supplement Bahrain tourism and exhibitions authority’s efforts to make the Kingdom a prominent Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions (MICE) tourism destination. 

Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre in Sanabis has a 14,000 square meters of exhibition space and 1,400 square meters of function space.   Tenders for the project expecting completion in two years will be awarded soon with the bidding process closing next month, said the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed R. Al-Zayani. Nine companies have pre-qualified as bidders for the project’s construction which would begin in March or April next year.

“The bid closes on 16th of January,” the minister said. “We anticipate to break ground by MarchApril and are looking at a two-year span for the construction.” Tribune has learnt that the new centre located in Sakhir in its first phase includes 100,000 square meter area and the second phase comprises of 50,000 square meter area. Hotels with a combined capacity of around 1,200 rooms will also be part of Expo City. The exhibition space for the project is 120,000sqm while the project is allotted 150,000sqm in total, stated a listing on Protenders. Reportedly around 19 companies had submitted documents for pre-qualification.