Iain Shearer, chief executive of ExCeL, the giant £250m exhibition centre based in London’s Docklands, has confirmed the company is considering rolling out the brand internationally.
Speaking at the opening of the 90,000 sq m (968,783 sq ft) first phase of the scheme today, Shearer confirmed interest from other countries for the concept. He said: “The company’s been approached by 12 countries which are interested in having an ExCeL venue. The US is top of the list.”
Shearer said plans were a “long way down the line”, as the firm had to concentrate on getting the London scheme right first. He also confirmed there were no plans to roll out the brand across the UK. “There’s no other site in the UK that can accommodate a scheme like this,” he said.
The scheme will also provide seven hotels with a total of 1,500 bedrooms. ExCeL has teamed up with developers Marylebone Warwick Balfour, Morrison Developments and Snow Gold Developments to bring these forward. They include a Holiday Inn and Whitbread’s Travel Inns, as well as an upmarket 50-bedroom boutique hotel developed by Snow Gold, called Hotel Excel.
Plans for two further phases of the scheme include a 6,000-seat Congress Hall, which would be the largest of its size in London.
EGi News 21/11/00
