{{Short description|Exhibition and conference centre in Solihull near Birmingham, England}} {{Redirect-distinguish|NEC Group|NEC}} {{Use British English|date=May 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox venue | name = National Exhibition Centre | native_name = | native_name_lang = | logo_image = NECBirmingham logo 2019.svg | logo_size = | logo_alt = | image = National_Exhibition_Centre_main_entrance.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = The main entrance to the NEC (July 2015) | coordinates = {{coord|52|27|12|N|1|43|10|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location = Marston Green, Solihull, England | owner = The Blackstone Group (since 2018)<ref name="blackstone"/> | operator = NEC Group | built = 16 February 1973 to 1976 | architect = {{hlist|Edward Mills|Seymour Harris}} | opened = {{Start date|df=yes|1976|02|02}} | renovated = 2009, 2018 | expanded = 1980, 1989, 1993, 1998 | public_transit = Birmingham International railway station | website = {{URL|thenec.co.uk}} }}
The '''National Exhibition Centre''' ('''NEC''') is an exhibition centre located in Marston Green in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, near the city of Birmingham. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1976.
==History== The NEC was originally going to be built adjacent to the M1 motorway (junction 21) near Leicester but it was turned down by Leicestershire County Council with claims that "The big shows won't move away from London".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/ten-top-facts-nec-8460667|title=Ten top facts about the NEC|last=Brown|first=Graeme|date=16 January 2015|work=Birmingham Mail|access-date=24 December 2017}}</ref>
In November 1971, the Secretary of State for the Environment granted outline planning approval for the National Exhibition Centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-26438290|title=NEC Group sell-off: 40 years of events, exhibitions and concerts|publisher=BBC|date=5 March 2014|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref> On 16 February 1973, then Prime Minister Edward Heath travelled up from London to cut a white ribbon and initiate its construction,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/assessing-the-future-your-qualification-our-regulation|title=Assessing the future: your qualification, our regulation|website=GOV.UK|date=8 December 2015|access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref> which was carried out by RM Douglas (known today as Tilbury Douglas),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tilburydouglas.co.uk/about-us/our-history/|title=Our history|publisher=Tilbury Douglas|access-date=3 January 2024}}</ref> to a design by Edward Mills.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/home/edward-mills-innovator-in-concrete-dies-aged-82/776590.article|title=Edward Mills, innovator in concrete, dies aged 82|publisher=Architects Journal|date=29 January 1998|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref> The NEC was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 2 February 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/birminghams-nec-gearing-up-celebrate-9455769|title=Birmingham's NEC is gearing up to celebrate 40th birthday|date=15 June 2015|publisher=Birmingham Mail|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref>
===Expansion of the complex=== The seventh hall of the NEC complex, a multi-purpose indoor arena named the Birmingham International Arena (currently branded BP Pulse Live), opened in December 1980.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-26438290|title=NEC: From Eurovision to the G8|date=2014-03-05|access-date=2019-06-17|language=en-GB}}</ref>
left|thumb|Plaque commemorating the opening of the "second phase of development" in 1989 On 23 March 1989, Queen Elizabeth II opened three new halls.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/gallery/national-exhibition-centre-celebrates-40th-9455730|title=National Exhibition Centre celebrates 40th birthday|publisher=Birmingham Live|date=15 June 2015|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref> Four more halls were added in 1993, and another four new halls, designed by Seymour Harris and built by John Laing, were completed in January 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/archive/national-exhibition-centre-29-01-1998/|title=National Exhibition Centre|date=29 January 1998|publisher=New Civil Engineer|access-date=27 March 2020|archive-date=27 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327235036/https://www.newcivilengineer.com/archive/national-exhibition-centre-29-01-1998/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
A five-year, £40 million venue improvement programme which saw improvements made to everything from the car parking to signage, seating and catering was carried out between 2006 and 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/economic-development/in-thursdays-birmingham-post-3999067|title=In Thursday's Birmingham Post|publisher=Birmingham Live|date=23 March 2005|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref>
==Exhibitions== The NEC has 18 interconnected halls covering {{convert|186000|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} of floor space, 32 purpose-built conference suites and 440 acres of flexible space.<ref name=NEC>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenec.co.uk/organisers/host-an-exhibition/|title=Exhibitions |work=thenec.co.uk}}</ref> Regular exhibitions in the past have included the British International Motor Show and the international dog show ''Crufts''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2001/feb/19/5|title=NEC widens its window on the world|work=The Guardian|date=19 February 2001|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref>
The NEC has 16,500 parking spaces spread around the site, with a free shuttle bus service operating to and from the car parks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenec.co.uk/visiting-us/car-parking|title=Car Parking|work=thenec.co.uk}}</ref>
==NEC Group== Parent company the NEC Group also owns and operates the Arena Birmingham and ICC Birmingham, both in central Birmingham, and bp pulse LIVE, based on The NEC site.<ref name="BM15">{{cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-397256676.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331210608/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-397256676.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 March 2017|title=NEC Group Set to Be Sold for Price Tag Up to PS300m|last=Griffin|first=Jon|date=14 January 2015|work=Birmingham Mail|access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref> Birmingham City Council placed the NEC Group up for sale in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/05/birmingham-council-sell-national-exhibition-centre-nec |title=Birmingham city council to sell National Exhibition Centre |last=Morris |first=Steven |date=2014-03-05 |website=The Guardian |language=en-GB |access-date=2019-09-23}}</ref> After short-listing three contenders to purchase the company, the sale to Lloyds Development Capital, the private equity unit of Lloyds Banking Group, was completed in January 2015 for £307 million.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-30835754 |work=BBC News |title=NEC group sold off in £307m deal |date=2015-01-16 |language=en-GB |access-date=2019-09-23}}</ref> In October 2018, Blackstone acquired NEC Group from Lloyds Development Capital,<ref name="blackstone">{{cite press release |author1=Rachel Dunachie |title=Blackstone acquires the NEC Group |url=http://www.necgroup.co.uk/news/blackstone-acquires-the-nec-group/ |website=necgroup.co.uk |access-date=20 February 2019 |date=12 October 2018}}</ref> paying around £800 million for the group.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-45863974 |title=NEC Group sold 'for £800m' |work=BBC News |date=2018-10-15 |language=en-GB |access-date=2019-09-23}}</ref>
==Emergency hospital== {{main|NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham}} From early April 2020 the NEC housed NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham, an emergency hospital scheduled to open on 10 April, and receive its first patients on 12 April,<ref name="ES">{{cite news |title=Birmingham's Nightingale Hospital to be operational within days |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2020/04/03/birminghams-nightingale-hospital-to-be-operational-within-days/ |access-date=10 April 2020 |work=Express and Star |date=3 April 2020 }}</ref> as part of a network of NHS Nightingale Hospitals in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="BBC-2020-03-27">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52070611|title=Coronavirus: Birmingham and Manchester temporary hospitals announced|date=27 March 2020|website=BBC News}}</ref> On 1 April 2021 the hospital was closed without ever treating a patient.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/central/2021-03-31/covid-birminghams-nightingale-hospital-closes-without-seeing-any-patients-coronavirus-nhs-matt-hancock |title=Covid: Birmingham's Nightingale hospital closes without seeing any patients| website=itv.com}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> File:NEC hall 3a 11y07.JPG|Preparations for an exhibition in Hall 3a File:NEC inside atrium 11y07.JPG|View from inside the atrium File:NEC atrium roof 10y07.JPG|Atrium roof structure File:NEC atrium gallery 11y07.JPG|The atrium showing an upper level called the ''Gallery'' File:NEC horizontal escalator 11y07.JPG|Moving walkway File:The NEC Pavilion - geograph.org.uk - 985608.jpg|NEC Pavilion (2008) File:Atrium Entrance 2, National Exhibition Centre - geograph.org.uk - 81173.jpg|NEC Atrium entrance 2 (2005) File:NEC atrium entrance3 10y07.JPG|NEC Atrium entrance 3 (2007) File:NEC shuttle bus 10y07.JPG|An NEC Plaxton Pointer 1 bodied Dennis Dart SLF shuttle bus outside atrium entrance 2 </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}}
{{2022 Commonwealth Games venues}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Indoor arenas in England Category:Exhibition and conference centres in England Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1976 Category:Buildings and structures in Birmingham, West Midlands Category:Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull Category:Esports venues in the United Kingdom Category:London Spitfire Category:2022 Commonwealth Games venues Category:Table tennis at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Category:Weightlifting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Category:Boxing at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Category:Badminton at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Category:Powerlifting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games boxing venues