Koelnmesse 3.0: The foundation stone has been laid for Hall 1plus

Plans call for the multipurpose hall, which will have 10,000 m² of floor space, to be commissioned in 2021. The beginning of the Hall 1plus construction operations also marks the start of the construction phase of the Koelnmesse 3.0 investment project, which will cost €700 million and last until 2030. The aim of the project is to establish Cologne as the most modern exhibition centre in Europe.

In a formal ceremony, Mayor Henriette Reker, Koelnmesse CEO Gerald Böse, Chief Financial Officer Herbert Marner and other participants in the construction project placed information about the project and a number of contemporary objects in the foundation stone. “Today is far more than ‘just’ the day when the foundation stone of Hall 1plus is laid. It also marks the start of the construction period of the new buildings at our exhibition centre, and it marks an important phase of our investment activities until 2030,” said CEO Böse. “After years of planning, we now know what our new buildings will look like in detail, and we’re entering the implementation phase.” Böse added that Koelnmesse will strive to offer high quality in equal measure for everyone involved — event organizers, exhibitors and visitors. The focus will not be on the growth of Koelnmesse but rather on expanding the options for everyone using its facilities. “For the city of Cologne and its economy, this means business is our top priority! As the Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and the Mayor of the City of Cologne, I’m happy to see that such good preparations are being made for the future of our city as a location for trade fairs and business,” said Henriette Reker.

Hall 1plus in detail

After completion of the foundation work, which involves driving almost 400 concrete piles into the ground, and after the January trade fairs are over, work on the building’s shell will begin. The construction of the new trade fair hall, which will have a floor area of almost 10,000 m², is expected to be completed at the end of 2020. Hall 1plus was originally planned to be only a compensation area, but in the past two years the basic concept has been completely rethought. The hall will be an ideal venue for trade fairs, exhibitions and special shows and will be able to accommodate up to 4,000 visitors. Its variable connections with other trade fair halls and the planned Confex® conference and exhibition centre will also open up a whole new spectrum of events and formats. In addition, the elevated construction will create a logistics and parking area under the hall.

Investment in the future — Koelnmesse 3.0

Koelnmesse 3.0 is a modernization programme for the Cologne exhibition centre that will be completed in 2030. It will include the renovation of the Southern Halls and the improvement of the traffic and parking situation, as well as a comprehensive digitalization of the exhibition grounds. In addition to Hall 1plus, the plan also includes the construction of the Confex® centre, which will be used as a trade fair, congress and event hall and will also offer new formats combining conferences and exhibitions. The plan also includes a new entrance terminal for the Southern Halls. It will serve as a modern and functional boulevard connecting the exhibition grounds along an east-west axis.

Koelnmesse will invest approximately €700 million in the buildings and infrastructure. The investment required for the Koelnmesse 3.0 project is being financed by the company from its own sizable financial reserves and via the capital market.  You can find out more about Koelnmesse, the investment programme and the future-oriented themes of digital media, entertainment and mobility here.