Making a song and dance: SECC matches London's O2 arena for economic impact

GLASGOW'S Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre boosted the nation's economy by more than £640 million in the year to 31 March, it was claimed yesterday, writes Peter Ranscombe.

The SECC said an economic-impact model developed by accountancy firm KPMG showed the centre's 218 events contributed 397m to Glasgow's economy and a further 247m to Scotland as a whole.

, the events attracted 1.3 million visitors and 26,000 exhibitors to the city. Concerts - which included Kylie Minogue's "Aphrodite - Les Folies 2011" UK tour - accounted for 166m of the revenue generated, although international conferences were judged to have had a wider affect on the country as a whole, clocking up 75m.

Chief executive John Sharkey said: "It is pleasing to know the SECC has the same sort of economic impact on Scotland and Glasgow as the O2, the world's largest entertainment venue, has on London."

Picture: Jane Barlow