Olomouc will invest in the modernization of the Flora exhibition grounds

OLOMOUC - The Olomouc City Hall is preparing a large investment for the modernization and expansion of the local exhibition grounds, Flora. Among other things, they plan to build a new building with a parking lot, dining facilities, and new exhibition spaces. The project, which the city intends to start in 2007, is estimated to cost around 330 million crowns. The city hall will attempt to secure funds for the investment from European funds.
Deputy Mayor Vladimír Pokorný told reporters today that the project includes a new road access to the exhibition grounds from the adjacent Wolkerova Street. The new exhibition spaces are to be built not only in the new building but also in an extension of the main pavilion A. Both buildings are expected to be connected by a pedestrian bridge.
In the new facility, according to Pokorný, there will also be administrative spaces, dining facilities, and a four-story parking lot with a capacity of nearly 90 spaces. The parking spots will be available for exhibitors, and outside of event days, they will serve as a catchment parking lot, Pokorný said.
Mayor Martin Tesařík stated that the city hall will seek European funds for the project. According to him, EU grants could cover up to 75 percent of the costs, which the city hall has preliminarily estimated at 330 million crowns. If the city manages to prepare the project next year and succeeds in applying for a grant, they will start the investment in 2007, said the mayor.
"The exhibition grounds are outdated and do not offer the European standard that exhibitors are used to. A significant flaw is that the pavilions G and H, which are further from the main pavilion, experience lower attendance, and exhibitors do not want to present there. Thanks to the expansion of the exhibition spaces, the core of exhibitions will be able to take place in the front part of the exhibition grounds," said Pokorný.
Several dozen exhibitions are held annually at the Flora exhibition grounds in Olomouc. The most well-known is the international flower exhibition Flora Olomouc. This year, nearly 199,000 people attended the events prepared by the exhibition grounds, which is about ten percent more than last year. The management of the exhibition grounds attributed the increase to favorable weather.