R395m expansion for ICC Durban
17 November 2003
The mayor of the eThekwini (greater Durban) municipality, Obed Mlaba, has announced a R395-million expansion to Durban's world-renowned International Convention Centre.
The expansion will involve constructing a new 6 000-seat auditorium, the ICC Durban Arena, as well as extending the existing building in a southerly direction to accommodate a sports arena suitable for exhibition sports, national indoor sports competitions, exhibitions, entertainment events and conventions.
Other site developments will include the construction of a 200-room three-star hotel at an estimated cost of R115-million. The costs towards building the hotel will be sourced from the private sector.
ICC chief executive officer Alec Gilbert said the expansion would put the convention centre "in a league of its own, being the only venue in the country able to accommodate events for over 10 000 people.
"The worldwide trend is for bigger conferences", Gilbert
said, "and this project will enable us to meet the requirements of the most valuable end of the international meetings industry."
Gilbert said the expanded conference centre would seat 13 000 people and cover a total of 30 000 square metres, with the option of increasing capacities even further by using the adjacent Durban Exhibition Centre.
"We will continue to set ICC Durban apart from other convention centres by marketing it as 'the most African experience'", Gilber said. "The expansion and the April 2004 opening of the uShaka Marine World will add major impetus to this campaign."
An independent economic impact assessment found that construction of the Arena would have a positive impact on the local economy, creating 23 000 sustainable jobs in its first 10 years of operation.
The development costs will be fully recovered through a positive contribution to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) well within the first year of its operation, the report
stated.
Source: ICC Durban
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