The Celtic Manor Resort is progressing plans for its new International Convention Centre - the largest facility of its kind in Wales or the south west of England which would attract major conferences from around the world.
A report to be considered by Newport City Council's planning committee on 4 June 2015 has recommended that the plans be approved, subject to conditions.
Designed to attract prestigious international events from across the world, the state-of-the-art auditorium, exhibition hall and associated facilities will have capacity for around 4,000 delegates.
With a total capacity in excess of 20,000sq m, the main auditorium will hold 1,500 delegates with the flexibility to divide into smaller spaces. A separate main exhibition hall will stretch to 4,000 square metres and be able to accommodate up to 2,000 guests for a gala dinner.
A further 15 meeting rooms will cater for all sizes and types of meetings and events, and complement the existing convention centre facilities at Celtic Manor, which have already made it the Best UK Hotel at the Meetings and Incentive Travel Awards for the past four years running.
Celtic Manor Resort Chief Operating Officer Ian Edwards said, 'It is clear that the events industry shares our excitement about this new conference centre which will be a flagship development not only for Celtic Manor, but for Wales as a whole. It will bring enormous economic benefits to the cities of Newport and Cardiff, and the wider surrounding region.'
Celtic Manor hosted the NATO Summit in September and is no stranger to hosting major international events, having staged the Ryder Cup in 2010 and the EU Foreign Ministers’ Summit in 2005.
The new Wales International Convention Centre will help secure more major events including showpiece conferences for large, international associations and multinational, blue chip companies, as well as political party conferences.