New Builds20 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 67Sydney, AustraliaThree consortia have been shortlisted to build and operate the proposed 12-hectare Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct at Darling Harbour. The expanded site is intended to provide Australia's largest event facilities.Construction is set to be completed by 2016, resulting in exhibition space of at least 40,000sqm and flexible plenary spaces with a combined capacity of at least 10,000 delegates. Facilities would also cater to sporting, musical and theatrical events for at least 12,000 people.Building for the futureSARAH O'DONNELL SETS EYES ON THE MEETINGS HORIZON WITH DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR NEW CONVENTION CENTRES AROUND THE WORLDMuscat, Oman The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, set to become an iconic landmark for Muscat and the Sultanate of Oman, is due for completion in late 2015.Located in its own precinct and 10 minutes from the new Muscat International Airport, the facility will include a tiered auditorium seating 3,200 people, 14 meeting rooms with a maximum capacity of 360 delegates and 22,000sqm of exhibition space. The Grand Ballroom seats up to 2,300-theatre style, 1,400-classroom style or 1,350 banquet style, it can be sub-divided into seven individual meeting rooms using a system of movable walls.The centre will be built to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the US Green Building Council and will be run by international venue operator AEG Ogden.Above: Oman Convention and Exhibition CentreMoshi, IndiaThe US$132m Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre is planned as part of a 972,000sqm development in the west region of India, Moshi.The project will include a convention centre, surrounded by seven exhibition halls, a pair of 28-storey commercial towers, hotels, retail, business and leisure space, as well as a golf-course. Analysts believe the project will take between five and 10 years to complete. The first phase, which includes the convention centre and two exhibition halls, would be completed by the end of 2012.Herradura, Costa RicaThe Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) has presented its preliminary designs for a new state convention centre to house local and international events. Twenty years in the making, the centre was put on the agenda of a succession of Costa Rican governments but has yet to come to fruition. The plans so far show the centre will have 15,000sqm of meetings space with a 6,000sqm exhibition hall, three times larger than the region's largest space, the Ramada Plaza Herradura. It will be located on 10 acres in Barreal de Heredia and is set to open in late 2013. Vientiane, LaosAn US$180m project to develop Don Chan Island will include the Lao International Convention Centre. The 25,000sqm centre will have a capacity of 1,500 delegates in its largest hall and is being funded by a loan from the Chinese Government. It is expected to open in time to host the 9th ASEM Summit, which will be the largest event ever held in Laos. The whole project is divided into three phases, with the first phase to include construction of 50 villas and the convention centre and be completed by August 2012.sqm convention 25,000centre for Laos

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