A new fairground in Silesia
Kielce-based Kolporter Expo wants to invest zł.100 million in Silesia Expo, a fair and exhibition center located in Sosnowiec-Zagórze. The company has already bought plots totaling 17 hectares.
The first stage of the project, worth over zł.30 million, includes the creation of 13,000 sqm of exhibition space and the development of over two hectares of the surrounding area. This is planned for completion by the summer of 2007. The following stages will take between five and seven years depending on market demand.
"The winter catastrophe at the International Katowice Fairs [the roof collapse which caused the death of 68 people] influenced the choice of locating the exhibition center in Silesia. Now there is a demand for such a facility in the region. Brno [in the Czech Republic] has already started trying to attract events organized in southern Poland," says Maciej Topolski, a spokesperson for Kolporter Expo.
Another reason for building the venue in Sosnowiec is the site's proximity to transport hubs. It is just 20 minutes from Katowice Airport and 40 minutes from Kraków Airport. It is also near the center of Katowice and the A4 highway.
According to Tomasz Raczyński, president of Kolporter Expo, despite its age, the existing 35,000-sqm hall is suitable for adaption to an exhibition hall. The neighboring office building is to be converted into a four-star hotel. The center will employ about 100 people, but the investor is certain the investment will create many additional jobs in the area. Experts estimate that if a fair organizer generates zł.1 million in profit from a particular event, companies, institutions and other service providers will earn five times as much.
Poland's fair market is suffering from a lack of professional venues. In terms of leased space, currently exceeding 500,000 sqm, the market is growing by 20 percent per annum. In terms of the number of exhibitors it is rising by 15 percent.
International Fairs in Poznań currently has the biggest share of the market, at almost 54 percent. Second position is taken by Kielce Fairs.
