Fira de Barcelona will expand by 25%, strengthening its position among the world's leading trade fairs

Yesterday, the foundation stone was laid for the new hall at the Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue in L'Hospitalet del Llobregat. This new building will increase the exhibition area of the Fira by 25%, from the current 240,000 m² to 300,000 m². This expansion will make the venue even larger and more accommodating for future events.

The ceremony for laying the first stone was attended by six institutions that make up the shareholders of Fira 2000, the company promoting the project. These institutions include the Government of Catalonia, the City Councils of Barcelona and L'Hospitalet, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, the Barcelona Provincial Council, the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, and Fira de Barcelona itself.

With these new facilities, Fira de Barcelona will strengthen its position among the world's elite in the sector and achieve the necessary size to compete with the most important exhibition centers in Europe. The expansion is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2026.

The ceremony was led by Pere Aragonès, President of the Government of Catalonia. Also present at the ceremony were Natàlia Mas, Minister of Economy and Finance; Roger Torrent, Minister of Business and Labour; Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona; Núria Marín, Mayoress of Hospitalet de Llobregat; and the presidents of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Josep Santacreu, Fira de Barcelona, Pau Relat, and Fira 2000, Josep Maria Vilarrúbia.

60,000 m2 on two floors

Fira 2000 plans to build a new Hall Zero structure, adding 60,000 m2 of exhibition space to the current venue. The new structure will have two floors dedicated to exhibitions and an adjacent tower for offices and services. The tower will mainly house the offices of the Catalan government as part of its new cultural policy. Still, there will also be areas to support the economic activities generated by the fair. 

Total investment of 498 million euros

This project is part of the Trade Fair Infrastructure Plan, which, in addition to the expansion of the Gran Via site, includes the transformation of the Montjuïc site, with a budget of 498 million euros: 323 million for the expansion of the Gran Via site and 175 million for the Montjuïc site. According to the timetable, the Gran Via venue is expected to open in 2026, and three years later, it will be Montjuïc's turn on the occasion of the centenary of the 1929 International Exposition.

The Fira de Barcelona Gran Via Exhibition Center is located between the cities of Barcelona and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 2.5 kilometers from the Montjuïc site. It currently has eight exhibition halls.

Source: Fira de Barcelona