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Bloem International Convention Centre still on track

• Johann Dannhauser

Enquiries by the Free State Business Bulletin have revealed that despite delays, plans for the huge international convention centre for Bloemfontein to be built by private developers on the western side of the city is still on track. Based on information received at the time, the Free State Business Bulletin reported in its February 2005 edition that planning for the Bloemfontein International Convention Centre (BICC) on similar scale as the existing international convention centres of Durban, Cape Town and Sandton was in an advanced stage. The BICC was to be constructed on a vacant part of the UFS campus adjacent to the NG Kovsie-Kampus church. On enquiry the past two months, the Free State Business Bulletin has learned that various hiccups in the composition of the consortium of development partners as led by Upstream Global, have caused inevitable delays, while a change of plan as regards the construction site of the envisaged convention centre also occurred. The site has now been moved to one at the crossing of the extension of Furstenburg Road and Nelson Mandela Drive. At this site the Homemaker's Expo 2006 was presented in a temporary structure in October. The latest indications are that the causes of the delays have been sorted out and that loose ends to the project is as of now being tied up for implementation. However, there are still specific phases to be passed through, such as the submission of building plans to the Mangaung Local Municipality and the Provincial Town Council. The indications are nevertheless that construction is due early next year. What comes to the fore at this stage, is the question whether, given the projected time scale for the construction and putting into service of a centre of this magnitude, the BICC would be operable by the time of hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup in Bloemfontein. Meanwhile there is no further news about a planned Mangaung International Convention Centre (MICC) on the eastern side of Bloemfontein / Mangaung next to the N8 route to Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu. Such a prospect was mooted strongly in April this year. On enquiry to a development consultancy involved with the roll-out of the N8 Economic Activity Corridor, the Free State Business Bulletin was told that as far as is known such a convention centre does not form part anymore of the plans. Be as it may, an international convention centre for Bloemfontein / Mangaung could be a boosting asset for the local conference tourist industry as well as for the Free State economy in wider context.