PRESS KIT 13.09.13 www.palais12.com NEO LIFE AND CITY PROJECT IS MATERIALISING Palais 12 is the foundation stone for the NEO project, which aims to refurbish the Heysel Plateau into a new, modern, multipurpose neighbourhood in northern Brussels. With the official opening of one of the main infrastructures foreseen by the NEO project, the latter now comes into its concrete delivery phase. The NEO project concept first emerged 5 years ago through the international development plan focusing on the attractiveness and international vocation of the Heysel site and the importance of valorising such exceptional qualities through the implementation of international scope facilities. The potential of the Heysel plateau is unique in Belgium for at least 5 reasons : • Every year, the site already welcomes more than 5 million visitors ; • The Atomium contributes to make it an exceptional tourist site ; • The intense economic activity encompasses the Palais des Expositions, National Stadium, Trade Mart and other existing activities ; • The exceptional accessibility to the site through unparalleled public transportation means in the surroundings. This accessibility will further be reinforced with more metros, trams and buses, which will allow to detour car traffic from neighbouring areas, thus liberating them from cars ; • Existing and future activities represent many thousand jobs. The Heysel Plateau enjoys stupendous potential. Together, the City of Brussels and Brussels Capital Region steer the NEO project, which aims to optimise this potential to prepare the international, national and regional future of Brussels. There are currently several on-going public procurement contracts for the project, which foresees : • Building a new multipurpose neighbourhood meeting today’s most ambitious standards and fulfilling the site’s specificities while rehabilitating its prestigious history ; • Cutting edge realisations in terms of environment, quality of life and sustainable development ; • Creating 750 new dwellings, new leisure activities and new, high-quality sporting facilities to make this neighbourhood into a cosmopolitan area attractive to tourists and that offers genuine social and cultural diversity ; • More green spaces (+30%) along with a harmonisation and densification of leisure and sporting areas ; • Making the Heysel Plateau into a place of well-being, encounters and conviviality while creating a link with existing neighbourhoods. www.neobrussels.com BRUSSELS, CAPITAL OF MUSIC Rare fact in Belgium, the opening of Palais 12 will give the capital a large capacity venue, which was sorely lacking in Brussels. Situated on the Heysel Plateau, Palais 12 will host major events, such as big concerts, conferences, shows and major sporting events for a maximum capacity of 18 000 people. Brussels enjoys an important heritage testifying of its appeal in terms of concerts and amplified music. The Brussels Capital Region boasts several high-quality halls welcoming up to 2000 spectators, such as the Ancienne Belgique, the Cirque Royal or still, the Halles de Schaerbeek. As for Forest National, the latter boasts a maximum capacity of around 8000 persons. For more uncommon events of over 40 000 people, the Stade Roi Baudoin thus remains the sole alternative. Brussels needed to take back its place on the international tour map and lacked a venue that would offer the intermediate, extremely important volume of 8 000 to 18 000 people. Thus, Palais 12 was born from a need expressed by promoters and the entire music industry. With a seating capacity ranging from 2 500 to 18 000 persons, Palais 12 sets the tone and lays its hat at the very heart of Brussels Expo, which allows it to enjoy a vast set of infrastructures. The hall does not hide its ambition. Its simple, pure and flexible design makes it usable for many types of events. Around 100 days per year, the hall will welcome 1,5 million visitors. Concerts of national and international artists, family entertainment, trade fairs, sporting events… Palais 12 is already an essential stop for concert and events organisers. PALAIS 12 AGENDA DAVID GUETTA GYMGALA CHRISTOPHE MAE • 19.10.2013 • 21.12.2013 • 14.03.2014 • 15.03.2014 Promoter: The Legendz Organiser: Fédération Promoter: C-Live Francophone de Gymnastique MYLÈNE FARMER (French-speaking gymnastics federation) RIVERDANCE • 13.11.2013 • 15.11.2013 • 26.04.2014 • 27.04.2014 • 16.11.2013 PIANO PLAGE Promoter: Promoter: C-Live Fire-Starter / Live Nation • 27.12.2013 • 28.12.2013 DES RÊVES ET Organiser: Dreamgest ROBIN HOOD DES ÉTOILES • 09.05.2014 • 10.05.2014 • 13.12.2013 CAR SHOW Promoter: C-Live Organisation: Make a wish • 16.01.2014 > 26.01.2014 Organiser: Febiac TOKYO BALLET - BÉJART ELTON JOHN • 16.05.2014 • 17.05.2014 • 16.12.2013 BATIBOUW Promoter: Ballet.be Promoter: Live Nation • 20.02.2014 > 02.03.2014 Organiser: Fisa THE SPANISH RIDING STARS ‘80 SCHOOL OF VIENNA • 19.12.2013 INDOCHINE • 22.11.2014 • 23.11.2014 Promoter: C-Live • 12.03.2014 Promoter: Fire-Starter Promoter: Live Nation NATIONAL VENUE As the many large events organised at Brussels Expo demonstrate and thanks to its central position and accessibility, Palais 12 is the only venue in Belgium capable of welcoming spectators from all across the country, the equivalent of an attractiveness potential of more than 11 million people. This is a huge asset for Palais 12, Belgium’s only venue to boast such a high prospect of spectators. Indeed, the Heysel Plateau is the unavoidable place for great national events as it welcomes all the linguistic communities of the country for such key events as the Auto Show (Salon de l’Auto), Batibouw, exhibitions such as “Tutankhamun” or still, national football matches. Visitors of the Heysel Plateau truly reflect Belgium’s population as a whole. Indeed, Brussels Expo has always been a second home to Belgians. The national vocation of Palais 12 is not a marketing argument, but a reality substantiated by the most important history of major events in Belgium. But the ambition of the venue does not end there. Optimal public transport connections link such cities as Paris, Lille, Cologne or London to Brussels in under two hours. Proximity to the national airport will also attract a wider European audience in search of a large, welcoming venue offering a perfect acoustic. A VERITABLE CONCERT HALL Designing such a versatile tool requires compromises and prioritizing. Priority was placed on amplified music. The entire project was developed in the aim that artists, technicians and – above all – concert audiences should experience an unforgettable moment. The main challenge consisted in transforming a trade fair hall into a hall specifically designed for concerts where trade shows would occasionally take place rather than the opposite. Indeed, in Europe and Belgium, too many former gymnasiums were reconverted into concert halls without specific refurbishing … Palais 12 has managed to successfully take up this challenge. Joe O’Herlihy, veritable reference in the music industry and U2’s Audio Director states : « My first Impressions upon entering the The New Brussels Arena were that this facility is certainly an Entertainment Industry Design Specific Venue. The speaking voice and the general vocal speak was totally intelligible without any hint of nasty reflections (echoes) or reverberant decay times normally associated with such large venues. The purpose built Acoustic Treatment features are abundant, and define this venue as THE entertainment industry venue of choice both sonically & aesthetically for both Artists and Promoters alike. The Sonic value I experienced while testing the Arena’s Production Sound System to its maximum was truly complementary, to the great acoustic atmosphere and sonic quality achieved in the acoustic Design of this building. I look forward to having the opportunity myself in the near future to work in this ready made facility. » EXCEPTIONAL ACOUSTIC When will Belgium boast a large-capacity venue with good acoustic? The Palais 12 has the perfect answer and overtly displays its ambition for all those who experience a concert as the occasion to fill their ears with music… « Offering the best acoustic for this type of concert venue in Belgium and being perceived as a European reference ». Denis Delforge, general manager member of the board, BRUSSELS EXPO. The main preoccupation of sound engineers for large venues is reverberation time. Thus, from the beginning, Palais 12 focused all its efforts to reduce reverberation time as much as possible both for high and low frequencies. Several renowned professionals completed many specific tailor-made acoustic treatments based on a precise review of the location. Including : • 300 acoustic baffles placed all around the venue ; • 2 bass traps (low frequency absorbent) of over 60m each, situated under the telescopic gallery and above the fixed stage ; • Treatment of 11 500 square meters roof with absorbent acoustic foam ; • More than 1500 square meters of wall surface specifically treated with acoustic materials ; • Acoustic treatment of all ventilation and extraction ducts ; The result is at the scale of the means deployed and ambition displayed. Reverberation time is exceptionally low and the sound totally intelligible, guaranteeing an exceptional listening, unparalleled listening quality for this type of venue in Belgium. The acoustic performance is comparable to that of London’s O2, the top concert venue worldwide. Once the sound checks carried out in June 2013 were completed, all professionals