Bauma has set new attendance records every time it has been held. By the 1980s it became clear that neither the grounds on the Theresienhöhe in the city centre, nor the 110,000m2 of hall space, could be extended to meet rising demand and plans were drawn up for a new arena. At Bauma 95, the last Bauma, there were more than 347,000 visitors and 1,706 exhibitors. Even more are expected this year.
After years of planning wrangles, followed by an architectural design competition and several years of construction, the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, or Neue Messe München as it is called in German, is finally ready for business.
The new showground, on the site of the old airport, has a gross exhibition space of 430,000m2, of which 140,000m2 is indoors in 12 huge halls, each the size of a major sports arena. A planned second phase of construction will extend it further.
It is officially opened on the first day of Bauma by the president of the European Union, Jacques Santer. But Bauma 98 will not actually be the first event at the new grounds: a caravan and boat show was held in February.
