The International Convention Center (ICC) is almost done. First events in the new venue will be held next month, including the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) e-sport tournament and Polish-Hungarian days of friendship with the attendance of presidents of both countries, Bronisław Komorowski and János Áder.
Warbud and Mercury Engineering, a prime contractor of the ICC, are now putting finishing touches to the building to prepare it for the March meetings. As only a few weeks left to welcome first visitors of the center, the construction crew is now involved in an advance outfitting. Apart of this, tests of all installation are being carried out. Three huge screens have already been tested by IEM organizers. The screens were mounted in the 8 040 sq. meters mutlifunctional hall – each of the screens consist of eighty one 55-inch monitors.
Intel Extreme Masters and Intel ESL Expo will take place both in the „Spodek” sport and exhibition hall and in the ICC between 12th and 15th of March, while the Polish-Hungarian days of friendship (including a chess tournament) will be held on 21st and 22nd of March. Then the presidents of both countries will officially unveil a monument built in memory of Henryk Sławik and Jozsef Antall who had saved about 5 000 Jews during the World War II. The monument was erected close to the main entrance of the venue.
There is still no official decision, if the seventh edition of the largest business meeting in Central and Eastern Europe – the European Economic Congress (EEC) – is to be organized in the ICC between 22nd and 24th of April. The City Hall, an investor of the building, has recently failed to choose a concessioneer for services involving organization of events and management in the new venue and „Spodek”. PTWP, an organizer of the EEC, was one of companies applying for concession contract. Thereby, the municipality has asked the European Commission, if the ICC can be temporarily managed by the Municipal Center for Sport and Recreation (MOSiR) in Katowice. The European Commission provides the financial support for this investment project and its decision is essential – the public funding was only for the construction of the infrastructure and the management services have to be carried out by a private operator selected in an open, transparent and non-discriminatory procedure, according to the conditions laid down by the European Commission. If the decision of the EC is positive, the congress will be organized in the ICC by PTWP without hindrance.
The total worth of the project amounts to over PLN 324 million. The contract of Warbuf and Mercury Engineering totals PLN 280 million. The venue is being erected along Olimpijska St.
