Barcelona’s Fira de Barcelona is set to grow its Gran Via venue with a new 60,000-square-metre Hall Zero by 2028, and Mobile World Congress organisers say that should bring more interest and less crowding at the event.

John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA Ltd, said the extra space should improve the experience for the hundreds of thousands of people who attend MWC each year. He said the current halls can feel congested, especially on Tuesday afternoon, and that moving some areas would help reduce density.

Hoffman said the ideal plan would have been to add 10,000 to 15,000 square metres a year over two or three years, but Hall Zero will deliver 60,000 square metres in one go. He also said the expansion could help bring in more companies, corporations, industries and ecosystems, and could increase attendance by at least 20,000 people, possibly 30,000.

The extra space would also allow the Talent Arena to be hosted inside the Gran Via venue, which Hoffman said would make the congress easier to move around and more streamlined for participants. The current Fira Gran Via complex already has 240,000 square metres of exhibition space, making it one of Europe’s largest.

From 1 July, Hoffman will move from CEO of GSMA Ltd to president of the company. He said that change will not affect his role in Barcelona, and that he will keep working on MWC in the city. He said he hopes his legacy will be linked to professionalism and doing what was promised.

Hoffman also said MWC brings “quality, business-oriented and professional tourism” to Barcelona, with visitors who spend money in hotels, restaurants and transport. He said the event and the city have grown together since the first edition in 2006. MWC Barcelona is scheduled to continue as a key fixture in the city’s calendar, while the Hall Zero project moves ahead.

Sport and community readers following Barcelona’s event and venue changes may also want to keep an eye on how the city’s major spaces are reshaped over the next few years.

Originally published by Europa Press Barcelona. Read original article.