Visit Flanders invests in an ultra-modern, digital arena on Corda Campus

Press release

The Corda Arena will be an international hotspot for conferences and business events

Hasselt, 26 April 2021

The Flemish Ministry of Tourism, represented by minister Zuhal Demir, is co-investing in an ultra-modern digital arena on Corda Campus through Visit Flanders. With an area of 10,000 m², the Corda Arena will be the first digital arena on the mainland. In addition to the high-tech uses and multi-purpose layout of the arena, half of its volume will comprise rental office units, which can be converted into atmospheric “skyboxes”. The arena itself is laid out as an amphitheatre with capacity for up to 4000 people. The project will cost around EUR 32 million and will be completed by 2024. The Corda Arena is a project by Corda Campus NV, a subsidiary of investment company LRM. It attracted the attention of Visit Flanders because it will create a whole new perception of (business) events, national conferences and international gatherings.

Master plans 1 & 2

The old Philips site in Hasselt was reborn as the Corda Campus just six years ago. Corda Campus is a 100% subsidiary of the investment company LRM. The inauguration of the iconic Corda Building 1, with its striking architecture and distinctive sloping green roof, triggered a period of spectacular growth in both occupancy and reputation. Over 250 companies and 5000 people are currently based at the tech campus in Hasselt, making it home to the largest number of technology companies in the country.

Master plan 1.0 has now been successfully completed. 14 hectares of buildings, parking and green zones have already been developed on Corda Campus. A new master plan for the remaining nine hectares is now being drawn up in conjunction with internationally renowned agencies VenhoevenCS and Geosted. Master plan 2.0 is mainly focused on striking the right balance between high-quality business accommodation, unique facilities and all the elements that go to create a distinctive community. The Corda Arena will be the showcase of these ambitious plans.

Corda Arena

Plans for the highlight of the new master plan, the Corda Arena, are already being drawn up. It will be a high-tech building measuring 60 metres long and wide, and 24 metres high. Those dimensions mean the arena will offer an area of around 10,000 m², which is a comparable size to the existing Corda Building 1.

The Corda Arena will be equipped with the latest streaming and broadcasting systems so that the whole world can watch the events. It will be the ideal venue for major international events and conferences. The arena will be designed to be multi-purpose: half of the area will be occupied by rental office units that can be used as what we call “skyboxes” when events are being held in the arena. The other half of the area can be used as event space. In addition to events, therefore, the building can also be used for work purposes and as office space. Up to 4000 people at a time can attend the event or spectacle; however, the arena is also designed to enable smaller groups to make best use of the facilities.

Major events will play a leading role in the arena. The facilities and space make it possible, for example, to host major European championships in niche sports such as Esports.

The arena will be built in the heart of the campus, on an empty piece of land next to the existing Corda Building 1, close to the iconic water tower, which will also be integrated into the pioneering project.

“We are ready to start the next chapter in the Corda story,”, says Managing Director Raf Degens. “New, innovative and forward-looking developments are essential for us as a business campus to remain attractive to companies and talent. Our variety of office space along with the services we provide and our Corda community are already making a difference to the companies and people on the site. Master plan 2.0 and the Corda Arena will take us another step further and put our campus more firmly on the map both nationally and internationally. There are similar digital buildings around the world, but there is nothing like our arena anywhere in Europe. Our aim is to reinforce our leading position so we are focusing fully on the opportunities for a digital experience that has never been seen before.”

Visit Flanders revival plan

The revival plan developed by the Flemish Minister of Tourism, Zuhal Demir, and Visit Flanders will make future-proof conference tourism a priority. “Where cities like Bruges and Ghent can capitalise on their history, here in Hasselt we want to play the digital card,” says Flemish Minister of Tourism Zuhal Demir. “The Corda Arena is the first event venue of its type and a novelty for Belgium. This is the next level, with state-of-the-art technology and futuristic architecture inside and out. We at Visit Flanders strongly believe in this project as a calling card for Limburg. We are positioning ourselves internationally as a major European hotspot for conference tourism and (inter)national conferences and events. The conference tourism market in Flanders accounts for around 20 percent of visits. This investment will enable us to boost conference tourism in our province and, by extension, Flanders as a whole.”

The capital investment is currently estimated at EUR 32 million, one third of which will come from Visit Flanders’ funding. Some 20 percent of the total amount will be invested in technology and the building’s digital equipment. There will also be an annual investment budget to keep the building and its equipment state-of-the-art at all times.

2024

The project is currently in the concrete planning phase. With the investment decision, the time needed to obtain permits and the actual construction, the campus is expecting the entire process to take 2.5 to 4 years, with the aim of completing the arena by 2024. Steven Vandeput, mayor of the city of Hasselt, is excited about Corda Campus’s plans for the future: “The construction of this sensational digital arena will put Hasselt on the map in Flanders and the Euregio area. We, as the city council, want to continue to raise our profile in events and business tourism and this project fits in perfectly with this strategy. In consultation with Corda Campus, our urban planners will make sure that this project is a perfect fit for the space on the site.”

The Corda Arena –> this image and additional HR images can be requested via g.lemmens@cordacampus.com

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ENDS

About Visit Flanders

Visit Flanders is an official Flemish government organisation whose purpose is to promote Flanders abroad as a tourist destination. Visit Flanders’ mission is to consolidate the positive power of tourism and enable Flanders to bloom as an innovative, inspirational and high-quality travel destination, to the benefit of the area, its residents, businesses and visitors. www.toerismevlaanderen.be

About Corda Campus

Corda Campus is a leading technology campus at the heart of the Euregio area. With 250 companies and 5000 jobs, Corda Campus is a bustling business community with strong synergies and cross-pollination. Corda Campus isn’t just about innovative office space; it’s about experiences, the exchange of knowledge and perception. Corda Campus NV is a 100% subsidiary of the investment company LRM, with POM Limburg and the City of Hasselt as partners. More info: www.cordacampus.com

About LRM

LRM is an investment company that develops and stimulates economic growth in Limburg. We provide a solid foundation, allowing companies and projects that create jobs in Limburg to grow. Our financial means and economic expertise, together with Limburg’s key assets, create a unique breeding ground. More information: www.lrm.be

More info:

Stef Gits, spokesperson for Visit Flanders
stef.gits@toerismevlaanderen.be
+32 (0)486 22 67 95

Goele Lemmens, press officer LRM & Corda Campus
g.lemmens@lrm.be
+32 (0)474 21 30 87