About the complex

The design of the convention centre calls for the construction of 170,000 square meters of commercial space for business, entertainment and concert events on a territory of 56 hectares near the Pulkovo airport. The complex will consist of six exhibition halls with total area of 100,000 square meters; a congress centre; two hotels with 450 rooms; a business centre and associated infrastructure: freight forwarding and customs terminals; outside and underground car parking; energy and utilities station; and etc. The first phase of the project, which includes all sites except for three pavilions, will be completed in late 2013. The second stage is scheduled for completion in 2018.

Anatoly Erkulov, Expoforum general director, said, “Currently we are doing the preparatory work for the start of construction, which will be almost fully completed at the time of the expected receipt of building permits. I am happy to say that all phases of the project are on schedule. “

The conference was for the heads of local governments and Russia’s regions; and it was held with support from the governments of the Leningrad region, and St. Petersburg.

Part of the conference was held in the Pushkin district and was devoted to ways of enhancing this area’s investment attractiveness. The construction of the convention and exhibition centre was presented as an example of an investment project that promotes the city’s development.

Specialists from different regions of Russia were interested in how the city and investors interact when implementing such a large project, taxation issues, and the possibility of obtaining benefits and preferences for such projects.

It is important to remember that ExpoForum cooperated with the St. Petersburg government, when in 2010 the company ordered the project design for the reconstruction of the St. Petersburg highway that will provide transport accessibility for the future complex. For their part, city authorities allocated funds to complete the work during 2011-2013.

Work will begin soon. Piles will be driven to a depth of 20 meters and the static load will be tested up to 250 tons.  Geostroi JSC is the contractor for this work. Driving the first test piles is yet another important stage in the preparation for the beginning of construction of the convention and exhibition centre that is scheduled for 2011.

GUP Vodokanal St Petersburg approved plans to modernise the water and sewer infrastructure on the territory of the new ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Dining facilities will be located in the central part of the first floor, as well as on the second and third floors. A bar that can seat 70, with an additional 70 seats in the lobby, will be on the first floor. The main restaurant will have 138 seats, and there will be a theme restaurant with 70 seats. The foyer on the third floor will have 25 seats. In addition, the above-mentioned dining facilities will be able to serve up to 500 people for banquets. In such cases, food will be made available in the foyer and in the halls of the conference zone on the hotel’s second floor. A canteen for employees will be on the ground floor, as well as a full-cycle laundry unit, food storage units, and other auxiliary rooms.

K3 will also design the dining facilities in the second hotel to be built at the future Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Inter-regional Department for Air Transport and Rescue in Northwest Russia signed off on ExpoForum’s plans to build a convention and exhibition centre.

ExpoForum needed this agency’s approval because the future convention centre is located close to the runways of Pulkovo Airport, just five kilometers away. ExpoForum had to show that all high structures on its territory would be properly marked with beacons.

The convention centre does not surpass 30 meters in height, and so it won’t create any problems for planes taking off and landing. However, the regulatory agency insisted that the boiler system’s smokestack be marked with beacons. Also it called for a height limit of 100 meters on any construction equipment, which should also be outfitted with beacons.

According to ExpoForum general director, Anatoly Erkulov, despite all the additional approval needed from regulators, the airport’s proximity to the convention centre is nevertheless a plus.

“Delegates arriving for international events will primarily arrive by air, and therefore it’s very convenient that the convention centre is near the airport. We hope that by the time ExpoForum opens that not only will the first step in the airport’s modernisation be completed, but that the number of flights will have increased between St. Petersburg and major cities of the world”.