GEK TERNA, METKA, AVAX, AKTOR and EKTER are expected to take part in the tender for the redevelopment of the Thessaloniki International Fair, according to market sources, as interest in the project remains strong.
The deadline for submitting bids is today. The project has a budget of €165m excluding VAT and €205m including VAT, while construction is scheduled to take 48 months.
This is the largest urban redevelopment project in northern Greece, and aims to transform the Thessaloniki International Fair and the wider area in the city centre.
The initial plans were revised following objections from residents, with green space and the creation of a metropolitan park at the heart of debate over the character of the new fairgrounds.
The redevelopment will be carried out as a public works project, funded by the Public Investment Programme and the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), rather than through a concession, as originally planned. Plans to build a hotel and business centre have also been abandoned.
The project has been included in the Strategic Contracts Development Programme, following a decision by the Government Committee for Strategic Contracts. The Strategic Contracts Unit (PPF) of the National Development Fund is responsible for preparing the project and conducting the tender process, and has been the key force driving it forward.
What the redevelopment includes
The construction works include two new exhibition halls, the renovation of the “I. Vellidis” Conference Centre, the creation of a metropolitan park and the construction of an underground car park.
In particular, the plans provide for the construction of Hall 1, with a total area of about 33,000 sq m, of which 22,500 sq m will be exhibition space. The building will have five levels. Hall 2 will have a total area of 10,000 sq m, including 7,000 sq m of exhibition space, and will have three levels.
The plans also include the full renovation of the “I. Vellidis” Conference Centre, which covers about 6,000 sq m, the creation of a 12-hectare metropolitan park and the construction of an underground car park with 1,064 spaces.
A 2030 target
The government and the Strategic Contracts Unit aim to award the contract by the end of the year and complete the new fairgrounds by 2030.
For the construction sector, the project is of interest both because of its budget and its relatively simple funding structure, as it will be financed from national funds.