From 2022 onwards, Bruges will be on the map once and for all as a meeting and convention destination. Indeed, the brand new ‘Bruges Meeting & Convention Center’ (BMCC) will then open its doors. This new-build project will be a real makeover of the former ‘Beurshalle’ situated on the Beursplein in the historic center of Bruges. Olivier Wauters, Executive Director of Eventonline, looks ahead and had a chat about this brand-new convention center with its Director Sarah Cornand.
The Bruges Meeting & Convention Center (BMCC) is a completely new-build project, with its foundation stone laid in September 2019. The property will open its doors in January 2022.
“The building includes a multifunctional event space on the ground floor with an area surface of almost 4,500 m2, making it the biggest indoor event location in Bruges. The building is designed to ensure that all possible logistics activities run smoothly,” says Sarah Cornand. “For example, there is a large entrance gate at the back of the building through which vans and even trailers can drive into the building to facilitate the construction and dismantling of events. Electricity and water connections are provided on the ground floor, as well as acoustic walls for sound and light isolation, so that events with loud music, like concerts or parties, can also take place in this multi-functional space. The large glass windows can be opened as well, in order to use the ground floor as a covered square for events.”
In addition to this large multifunctional event space which can accommodate up to 2,500 persons, there is also a meeting and conference area for both large and smaller events. The largest meeting room is located on the 1st floor. “Our large plenary room can seat up to 514 delegates and can be divided into 2 smaller rooms if needed. It is an auditorium, but an auditorium with a retractable seating system. This way you can use the room in a different set-up if needed,” adds Sarah Cornand. “The seats can be folded up to increase the flexibility of the space and use it in a completely modified set-up: school style, round tables, etc. All rooms can be interconnected. This means that you can perfectly stream the speaker from the plenary room into the smaller rooms and vice versa. All technology to enable hybrid meetings will be available in the venue. This is an enormous asset which allows us to offer a response to the new needs from organizers.”
The translation booths and control rooms are located at the back of the plenary rom. All facilities are provided according to the plug & play principle. Basic facilities are included in the rooms, such as a basic set with microphones, screens and beamers. “After all, we want our venue to be a building that is easy to use by organizers. Our Event and Facility Managers will also be 100% at the service of our customers to guarantee a perfect service,” confirms the director.
“On the 3rd floor one finds the 12 smaller meeting rooms or breakout rooms with surfaces ranging from 30 to 95 m2, for 10 to 80 participants. This way we can also accommodate smaller corporate groups, such as a board meeting. Perfect for one-day or multi-day meetings in the historical context of Bruges.”
Catering
Coffee breaks, lunches and dinners can be held at the spacious catering area on the 4th floor. “On the top floor we have a marvelous space with a capacity of 500 participants presenting a beautiful panorama of Bruges and its historic roof landscape as well. We foresee working with a limited number of excellent caterers, offering catering for every budget and every type of event. From a sandwich lunch to high-end gala dinner, we will be able to offer it all,” says Sarah Cornand.
Welcome cocktails can take place on the terrace with a view over the rooftops of the medieval city Bruges, but there will also be more than enough daylight inside the building. “Daylight will indeed be the common thread throughout this building,” the director agrees. “There are a huge number of windows with sunscreens that will ensure a lot of daylight flowing into the building. Delegates can enjoy the picturesque scenery of Bruges even when they are inside the building, offering an extra experience. Congress attendees are not locked up inside four walls all day. It is part of the experience to find yourself in the historic heart of Bruges, even during the meeting.”
Hybrid Meetings
The COVID-19 pandemic has given meetings a different dimension. Hybrid meetings have become popular as a result and may well remain so in the future. “We have taken this into account at the Bruges Meeting & Convention Center (BMCC). Our location is therefore equipped with the latest hybrid meeting technology,” confirms Sarah Cornand. “All necessary connections are available, both in the plenary room and in the larger meeting rooms upstairs. ‘We are ready to respond to safety regulations that may still apply in 2022. However, we are looking positively towards the future, where the hybrid aspect may well be a regular part of meetings and conferences.”
Parking Space
Those who travel to the Bruges Meeting & Convention Center (BMCC) by car do not have to worry about parking space. “We will provide an underground car park with around 90 parking spaces underneath the building,” says the director. “They can be used by organizers or exhibitors of a trade fair or participants in a gala dinner, for example. There are also a number of public car parks nearby. The nearest car park, ‘t Zand, will be further expanded with 635 places. The BMCC is also easy to reach by public transport. The building is a 10-minute walk away from the train station, and within walking distance of all hotels, restaurants and attractions. There will also be an underground bicycle shed.”
USPs
Director Sarah Cornand is proud about the new project, and explains us why meeting planners should consider the Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre. rest.
1) Location, location, location
“Meeting in a historic city center like Bruges is really unique,” says Sarah. “That remains an important asset. After all, many meeting venues are in the outskirts of a city. In Bruges, it’s quite the opposite: you step outside the building and you immediately find yourself in the historic heart of Bruges and within walking distance of the numerous hotels and museums. We are located a few minutes walking from the train station and are easily accessible via public transport with a bus terminal right outside. Direct trains run from Brussels Airport to Bruges in 80 minutes. With the Thalys from Amsterdam, Paris or Cologne you can quickly reach Bruges via Brussels South. From London you travel with the Eurostar to Lille and after a transfer of only 40 minutes, you are in the heart of Bruges.”
2) It’s a People Project
“The Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre is not only an excellent building technically and logistically, but our service will also excel,” says Sarah. “People will want to return to the BMCC because we will take the service to the next level. We will help each and every customer to offer the best solution for his or her event.”
3) Sustainability
“The green aspect was very much taken into account in the development of this project,” says Sarah. “This is a nearly Zero Energy Building or nZEB, which means
that it was built according to the principles of sustainable and
ecological design. We are using heat pumps, solar panels, recovery brick, carpet tiles made from recycled materials etc. We also want to manage the building as green as possible. In our offices we work almost exclusively digitally, but also with regard to our suppliers we opt for catering with local ingredients, or dishes that will reflect the local terroir and taking into account the short supply chain.”
Last but not least
We will still have to wait a bit longer before the Bruges Meeting & Convention Center (BMCC) opens its doors. However, anyone who is already considering organizing an event there in 2022 shouldn’t wait too long. “We have already received many requests from meeting and event planners,” adds Julie Lievens, Marketing Manager of the BMCC. “Better not to hesitate for too long because it looks like BMCC will have many events in the books before 2022 starts.” If you’d like to have a sneak peak inside the building, check out the virtual tour here: https://infunctievan.be/360/Brugge/
Contact:
Sarah Cornand
+32 50 444 668
Sarah.cornand@brugge.be
www.bmccbruges.com
