The R396 million expansion project currently under construction at The International Convention Centre Durban (ICC Durban), is on schedule. The project will be complete at the end of 2006, and officially opened in February 2007.

Construction is being undertaken by the Masinya Consortium, a 51% black empowerment group and the value of the work undertaken to date is in the region of R92 million.

Materials include over 2 million bricks and 13 500 square metres of concrete. The on-site construction team includes a handicapped foreman and a dynamic team of ladies, including a female carpenter and even lady plasterers and plumbers. Trusses that will carry the 60-metre roof span of the ICC Arena, will arrive in August this year.

Beneath the surface, a major piling operation is in progress, underpinning the structure of the new arena. Included in this underground process, is the construction of new service tunnels to facilitate the transport of food to the ICC Arena.

In keeping with international trends and demands for bigger conference facilities, ICC embarked on an expansion project at the beginning of 2004. Apart from providing more space, the construction of the new worldclass indoor ICC Arena, is expected to be a major draw card for the Centre.

ICC’s chief executive officer, Mr Alec Gilbert, explained; “By May next year, we will have an additional two halls ready for Indaba. These two halls, which form part of the ICC Arena, will be used as one big area for Indaba 2006. They will be air-conditioned, but the surrounding foyers will be finished off later in the year.”

The new ICC Arena will position ICC Durban in a league of its own, being the only venue in the country able to accommodate events for over 10 000 people; with a covered area of 32 000 sq metres at one level, and a further 12 000 sq metres of open area. Like the existing ICC, the new indoor ICC Arena will be very flexible, providing 6 000 raked seats for concerts and sporting events and allowance for 10 000 spectators, or uninterrupted exhibition and banquet space.

Mr Gilbert explained; “There is a big demand for this type of venue in Durban and we envisage the ICC Arena putting Durban back on the map as a good venue for international concerts.”