Expo City Dubai is one of the most revered landmarks in Dubai that is visited by thousands of people. And now, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the Vice President and Minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai has approved its expansion plan. Yes, he has approved an AED10 billion expansion plan for Dubai Exhibition Centre which is in the Expo City. Here’s all about it.
Sheikh Mohammed Approves Dubai Exhibition Centre Expansion
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has approved an AED10 billion expansion plan for the Dubai Exhibition Centre, which will become the largest purpose-built indoor events and exhibition venue in the region, once complete. It should be noted that it is a part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and the expansion plan is integral to Expo City Dubai Vision. This vision pertains to becoming a dynamic hub, which is driven by global exhibitions and events.
DEC To Be Complete In 3 Phases
It should be noted that the venue’s expansion will be in three phases. In phase 1, which is set to be completed by 2026, the Dubai Exhibition Centre will feature 1,40,000 m² of exhibition space. This will nearly be two and a half times its current capacity, which is at 58,000 m².
After the completion of phase 2, which is set to happen by 2028, the Exhibition Centre will expand to nearly 1,60,000 m². In fact, this will include enhancement to supporting infrastructure, road network, and dedicated multi-storey parking. Finally, the last phase, which is expected to be completed by 2031 will increase the total indoor exhibition space to 1,80,000 m².
What Can You Expect Once It’s Complete?
On completion, it will feature 26 halls on a single contagious level, which will span 1.2 km. This will accommodate one mega event or even 20 simultaneous smaller events. The final phase will also include 300+ key hotel, commercial offices, an industrial kitchen for fully integrated operations, and retail outlets.
This means that once all the phases are complete, the DEC will be 1.5 times larger than the current Dubai International Convention And Exhibition Centre. So, it will serve as the new home for mega exhibitions and allow Dubai to double the number of large-scale events that it hosts annually.
Sheikh Mohammed Was Briefed About The Plan
As it happens, Sheikh Mohammed was briefed about the DEC plan, as he was present amongst other notable leaders in Dubai. It should be noted that this expansion has been strategically planned so that it aligns with the visionary goal of Expo City Dubai. Not to mention, it also aligned with Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan and the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport. So, with this synchronised development, it shows the forward-thinking approach taken by Dubai for establishing a blueprint in the city to meet the highest global standards.
So, once the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre is complete, the large-scale events that are hosted annually will increase from about 300 to more than 600 (approximately) by 2033.
Cover Image Courtesy: X/expocitydubai