November/December 2009
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Cover Story
Edmonton Expo Centre Roars Open!
The Edmonton Expo Centre opens with a roar in early December! The new state-of-the-art exhibition facility will open for the Tim Horton’s Roar of the Ring Canadian Curling Trials on December 6-13, 2009. The Edmonton Expo Centre hosts both the Keith’s Patch and the Oh Canada Lounge for this exciting event. When the Edmonton EXPO Centre opens, it will be Western Canada’s largest exhibition facility. With a total of 522,000 square feet of flexible, adaptable indoor show space, the Edmonton EXPO Centre is poised to welcome the world, and solidify Edmonton as a prime tourism destination. “We’re all very excited to officially open the doors on the Edmonton EXPO Centre, and begin a new era for Northlands and the city of Edmonton,” said Andy Huntley, Chair of the Northlands Board. “The new Edmonton EXPO Centre will help Edmonton achieve its potential as a key business, trade, tourism and event destination.” Construction on the Edmonton EXPO Centre began in February of 2007. The new facility added 220,000 square feet to what was previously called the Northlands AgriCom. The Edmonton EXPO Centre effectively doubles the size of Northlands existing trade show and conference space. The Northlands Agricom was renamed the Edmonton EXPO Centre at an unveiling event on September 8, 2009. The cost of the new facility was $150 million.
The Edmonton EXPO Centre features the largest integrated trade show space outside of Toronto. This space includes four new exhibit halls, a grand ballroom, multi-purpose rooms, meeting rooms, a large-scale catering kitchen, a food court with licensed services, a business centre, and wireless internet access. The facility also provides the latest in modern technology and business services to ensure the best trade show experience and business environment. Northland currently hosts 2,500 events a year with over 4 million visitors. These events contribute millions of dollars into the Edmonton economy. For example, the Tim Horton’s Roar of the Ring Canadian Curling Trials is estimated to have an economic impact of $32 million. The Edmonton EXPO Centre will allow Northlands to compete for some of the largest trade and consumer shows in the world. Current clients will have the opportunity to expand their shows. Northland estimates that, by the end of 2010, the economic impact of the Edmonton Expo Centre including construction will total $600 million. With this kind of economic impact this new trade and conference facility will assist Northlands with their vision to positioning the organization at the forefront of Canada’s trade, consumer, and entertainment industries. Additional information on this exciting new facility can be found at http://www.edmontonexpocentre.com/  |
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