Prime Minister David Cameron took time off from the Conservative Party Conference at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC) to unveil a commemorative plaque marking 21 years since The ICC – along with the on-site but independent Symphony Hall – were officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen.
At the unveiling, Cameron said: "Both The ICC and Symphony Hall are world-class venues, which benefit Birmingham both economically and culturally. I am very pleased to be able to mark this occasion during the Conservative Party Conference." This year is the third time in five years that the Conservative Party has chosen The ICC for its annual get-together.
Paul Thandi, chief executive of the NEC Group, of which The ICC is part, added: “The foundations were laid in 1987 for this ambitious £200m project that became one of Birmingham’s new iconic buildings. The NEC Group is very proud that the ICC and the 2,200-seat Symphony Hall exceeded their potential as catalysts for the regeneration of the city.”
Nick Waight, the ICC’s managing director, said: “The ICC is the UK’s leading conference centre and welcomes more than 400 events and 300,000 delegates each year, contributing £85m to the regional economy and supporting 2,000 jobs.” Waight also calculated that over those 21 years, the centre hosted 6,000 events comprising more than seven million delegate days and contributed more than £1.4bn to the regional economy.
Pictured: Paul Thandi applauds David Cameron
