The Event Complex Aberdeen

Client’s requirements 

Formally home to the Rowett Institute, this 150 acre site is now known as TECA and accommodates P&J Live. The scale of the development alone is unique in Scotland as it provides a new arena, exhibition and conference space, two hotels, an energy centre and associated infrastructure.  

The 105,000sqm complex provides a flexible facility, capable of hosting world class exhibitions as well as a wide variety of entertainment events. The main 9,000sqm events centre has a 15,000 arena capacity and conference capacity of over 5,000 across the various spaces. 

The provision of a subterranean multi-purpose space allows use as both a car park and can be fitted out as an exhibition hall when required. The two hotels are a 200 bed Hilton that adjoins the P&J Live building and a 150 bed Aloft by Marriot that fronts onto a new piazza.

TECA also has an innovative energy centre with on-site energy generation from both hydrogen fuel cells and combined heat and power plant (CHP) to deliver not only power and heating to the site but also cooling. An anaerobic digestion plant provides biogas to fuel both these technologies, further reducing the carbon impact. 

Our contribution 

We provided project management and programme management office services for the project, chosen for our strong track record in successfully completing similar schemes. Our role extended during the project from inception, leading the client through the initial competitive dialogue negotiation stage with Aberdeen City Council to final completion and handover.  

We led the coordination and delivery of investigations for infrastructure, enabling work and finally the infrastructure works themselves along with the project management for all the works on site including the events complex and two hotels. 

Making the difference  

As part of Aberdeen City Council’s plan to grow the local economy, the £333m facility is expected to contribute an additional 4.5 million visitors, £113m of visitor spend and £63m net gross value added to the Scottish economy. It will also result in the creation of 352 full-time-equivalent permanent positions by year ten of operations.  

The new hotels provide much needed accommodation for visitors both to TECA and to Aberdeen. Municipal park land has also been created along the diverted watercourses, providing a fantastic recreational facility for the public. 

Works commenced on site in early July 2016 and the entire development was completed on time and on budget in August 2019. TECA was officially opened by Aberdeen City Council co-leaders on 8 August 2019 and an exciting programme of concerts, exhibitions and events is scheduled from September 2019.