Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre

A former venue located in Bridge of Don, on the north bank of the River Don, the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) was situated 2½ miles (4 km) north of Aberdeen city centre. The distinctive building represented the city's largest concert and conference venue, it opened in 1985 to provide a permanent home for the enormous biennial Offshore Europe conference and exhibition for the oil and gas industry. It was replaced by the Event Complex Aberdeen in 2019 and subsequently largely demolished.

Its principal space was the AECC arena extending to 7320 sq. m (78,792 sq. feet) with a capacity of 8500. The arena included a stage and dressing rooms. The centre provided twenty further meeting and breakout rooms including the Boyd Orr Hall (1496 sq. m / 16,103 sq. feet) with seating for up to 2000, the Gordon Suite (559 sq. m / 6017 sq. feet) offering seating for 685 people, the Crombie Suite (471 sq. m / 5069 sq. feet, seating 533), the Forbes Suite (252 sq. m / 2712 sq. feet, seating 244) and the Fleming Auditorium, which seats up to 440 delegates. The building included a 45-m (147-foot) clad structural steel viewing tower known as The Northern Light. Hotel accommodation was developed nearby.

The centre was subject to a £13-million redevelopment in 2003, involving the Boyd Orr Hall extended to seat 2000 delegates in plenary sessions, two new multi-purpose halls, and the expansion of others, together with new reception and administration facilities, and upgraded IT and audiovisual equipment.

he AECC is quoted to contributed an economic benefit of £114 million to the local economy in 2009/10. Notable acts who have appeared here include AC/DC, Oasis, Status Quo, and Neil Young, together with the comedian Frankie Boyle. It was owned and operated by Aberdeen City Council.


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