Groundbreaking for Kintex Exhibition Center 3 Marks New Era
Total Project Cost of 672.6 Billion KRW, Annual Economic Impact Expected at 6.45 Trillion KRW
Final Piece for Asia's Leading Exhibition Hub... Targeting Global Events Like CES and MWC
Anchor Hotel and Multi-purpose Parking Building to Break Ground Simultaneously, Boosting Regional Tourism Infrastructure
Cultural Park to Connect GTX Kintex Station and Exhibition Hall 1, Improving Pedestrian Access
The construction of the Kintex Exhibition Center 3 in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province began its foundation work earlier this month, transforming the Kintex area into a global MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) hub equipped with a world-class comprehensive exhibition center.
Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City (left), is reviewing the plan for the construction project of KINTEX Exhibition Hall 3. Provided by Goyang Special City
According to Goyang Special City on the 15th, the total project cost is approximately 672.6 billion KRW. Temporary construction started on the 1st of this month, with main construction scheduled to begin in the second half of the year. The expected completion date is the second half of 2028. The total floor area will be 200,000 square meters, consisting of Exhibition Hall 3A, located to the left of the current parking lot of Exhibition Hall 1, and Exhibition Hall 3B, built to the left of Exhibition Hall 2.
By 2028, Kintex’s exhibition area will expand to 170,000 square meters, securing competitiveness in attracting large-scale international events alongside major venues such as CES in Las Vegas, USA (186,000 square meters), IFA in Berlin, Germany (164,000 square meters), and MWC in Barcelona, Spain (120,000 square meters).
Near Kintex, an anchor hotel and a multi-purpose parking building will be constructed simultaneously to accommodate the increasing number of domestic and international visitors. Additionally, a cultural park will be developed, connected to the GTX-A Kintex Station, providing a resting space for citizens.
Kintex is the largest international exhibition center in South Korea, built with the goal of becoming Asia’s representative large-scale comprehensive exhibition center. In 1998, under the Ministry of Industry and Resources’ “Basic Plan for the Construction of a Metropolitan Comprehensive Exhibition Center,” Goyang City was selected as the site, and construction has been carried out in three phases.
The first phase, Kintex Exhibition Hall 1, opened in 2005 with an area of 54,000 square meters. The second phase, Exhibition Hall 2, opened in 2011, expanding the exhibition area to 108,000 square meters. Since then, Kintex has hosted major exhibitions and international conferences such as the Korea Advanced Technology Exhibition, Seoul International Motor Show, Rotary International Convention, and Korea-Africa Summit, leading South Korea to become a strong nation in exhibitions and conventions.
The construction of Exhibition Hall 3 passed the preliminary feasibility study in 2020 but faced difficulties in selecting a contractor due to soaring raw material prices and labor costs. After efforts to increase the project budget and adjust the scope of work, a priority construction contract was signed with the DL E&C consortium at the end of last December, and groundbreaking took place this year.
Notably, Exhibition Hall 3 will apply eco-friendly design to enhance energy-saving effects. The roof will feature a Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system combining exterior materials and solar modules to produce environmentally friendly electricity while harmonizing with the design. Additionally, high-efficiency LED lighting, high-performance insulation and windows, and a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) will be installed to reduce the carbon footprint.
After the opening of Exhibition Hall 3, the economic ripple effect of Kintex is estimated at 6.4565 trillion KRW annually, with employment creation of 30,227 jobs per year. The surrounding area of Kintex is undergoing developments such as the Ilsan Technovalley, Broadcasting and Video Valley, and the promotion of an economic free zone, which are expected to maximize synergy effects for regional economic revitalization and job creation.
To meet the accommodation and parking demands of domestic and international visitors and to increase local stay time, an anchor hotel and a multi-purpose parking building will be constructed simultaneously this year around the exhibition center.
The anchor hotel, located in front of Exhibition Hall 3B, will be a 4-star hotel with 310 rooms, consisting of one basement floor and 20 above-ground floors. Kintex has selected the global hotel brand Ambassador Hotel Group as the preferred negotiation partner for operating the anchor hotel. Currently, the hotel design and construction bidding process is underway, with construction scheduled to start within the first half of the year and completion expected in 2029.
To the right of Exhibition Hall 1, a multi-purpose parking building capable of accommodating 1,000 vehicles will be constructed to enhance parking convenience for visitors to Kintex. The design firm selection process is currently underway, aiming for construction to start within the year. The building will have a total floor area of 43,000 square meters, with two basement floors and eight above-ground floors. Upon completion in 2028, a total of approximately 7,400 parking spaces will be secured.
Meanwhile, with the start of construction for Exhibition Hall 3A, the 1,568 parking spaces in the parking lot of Exhibition Hall 1 will be closed from the 17th. Kintex plans to operate alternative parking lots with a total capacity of 6,582 vehicles by utilizing nearby vacant lots and surrounding facilities such as One Mount. Measures including shuttle bus operation and the introduction of a parking guidance system will be implemented and announced on the Kintex website.
Since the opening of GTX-A Kintex Station at the end of last year, travel time from Seoul Station has been reduced to 16 minutes, increasing the number of visitors. The city plans to create a cultural park with a total area of 5,500 square meters along the path from GTX-A Kintex Station to Kintex Exhibition Hall 1 to provide a pleasant walking environment for visitors and local residents.
The cultural park will be developed in the area of 2600-3, Daehwa-dong, Ilsanseo-gu, connecting Exit 1 of Kintex Station to Hall 5B of Exhibition Hall 1. The city plans to build a 100-meter pedestrian walkway to improve walking convenience for visitors and provide resting spaces such as flower gardens and benches for local residents. After completing related administrative procedures such as public design review soon, construction will begin, with the park scheduled to open within this year.
Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, stated, “With the opening of Exhibition Hall 3 in 2028 and the completion of the anchor hotel and parking tower, Kintex will have the infrastructure to host world-class large-scale exhibitions.” He added, “Based on global exhibition infrastructure, we will leap forward as an international exhibition and convention hub representing Asia, beyond Northeast Asia.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
