First glimpse of the new improved EICC

Published on Friday 26 November 2004 12:22

NEW images offer the first look inside a planned multi-million-pound extension to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Work is expected to start next summer on the massive underground expansion of the Morrison Street venue, which will feature the stunning atrium shown, as well as additional function space.

The EICC’s 1200-seat Pentland Suite auditorium can already be transformed into three separate spaces in less than four minutes using giant revolving turntables sunk into the floor.

But the new area will enable conference bosses to transform 1600sq m of flat-floor exhibition or banqueting space into tiered seating formations of almost any shape for up to 1500 people.

The plans are due to be unveiled to delegates at the prestigious European Incentive, Business Travel and Meetings trade show in Barcelona next week.

The new function space is expected to generate an extra 30 million for the city’s economy, raise EICC revenues by 6m and operating profits by 2m in its first three years of operation.

It is thought the scheme will take two years to complete so the EICC can meet its existing conference schedule.

EICC chief executive Hans Rissmann said today: "We are taking function space design to a new level, challenging the imagination of our customers with a building that can do almost anything they want."

Councillor Andrew Scobbie, chairman of the EICC, added: "It will be a terrific boon for the city. It will enable the EICC to stage events such as snooker, which we cannot do at the moment. As well as extending the space, it will mean the EICC is far more flexible."

Under a 70m deal, the vacant car park site beside the centre will be transformed into a 15,000sq m office and retail block.

Cala-Morrison, a joint venture between AWG Property and Cala Property, will build the underground extension, adding 1600sq m for large-scale exhibitions, banquets and other events.

The new extension will be owned by Edinburgh City Council, but leased back to the EICC.

In August, city chiefs admitted they bungled the multi-million-pound deal to expand the EICC. An investigation found the council blundered when it agreed to pay the winning bidder Cala-Morrison more than 5m a year to lease a planned office block to the local authority as part of the deal.

The council was forced to pull out of renting the new building on the site of the car park above the proposed underground expansion of the EICC.

Council lawyers told city chiefs they breached European Union laws by agreeing to take up the lease after the Cala-Morrison winning bid was chosen, and warned the council faced legal challenges from the four other losing bidders by pressing ahead.

The decision was a major embarrassment for city leaders, who staunchly defended the controversial deal when the package was first unveiled amid a blaze of publicity in June.