Aberdeen City Council have announced their intention to proceed with the development of a new, larger Aberdeen Exhibition Centre in conjuntion with a commercial development partner, Henry Boot Developments.

The replacement for the existing AECC is to be built at a site near Aberdeen International Airport to improve accessibility both for air passengers and by road.

Brian Horsburgh, MD of AECC, commented: “This will enable AECC to take a quantum leap forward as a world-class centre for business events and entertainment, and to increasingly contribute to the region’s economy going forward, as a key element of Aberdeen City’s infrastructure. Our challenge will be to find ways to continue to grow the business over the next three to four years until the new centre is completed in 2017.”

Home to the Aberdeen Conference Centre and the GE Oil & Gas Arena, AECC was opened in 1986 to house the biennial Oil and Gas Show ‘Offshore Europe (OE)’.

Between 2001/02 and 2012/13, the centre’s turnover has grown almost three-fold, from £2.5m to £7.1m. Event growth has continued at a substantial rate, especially for energy-related events. The AECC has increased its economic contribution to Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire from around £12m in 1989, to an estimated £109m last year (2011/12), and supports over 1,000 jobs in the Region.

The Venue and surrounding infrastructure servicing Offshore Europe is now at capacity. A new, larger high-quality space will provide a higher quality experience for both visitors and exhibiting companies attending OE from around the globe, as well as to provide space for continued growth due to continuing demand for space.

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