The new Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre’s (OCEC) Phase One will open its doors in mid-September and preparations are under way for the same, a report quoting a senior executive said.

Trevor McCartney, general manager, OCEC, was quoted by Times of Oman as saying the idea is to make sure that the venue is unforgettable, reflecting the full warmth of Omani hospitality and the unique personality of the sultanate.

Earlier the centre was planned to open on August 15.

“It is our goal that every visitor and every delegate to the OCEC enjoys a peerless, memorable, one-of-a-kind experience,” he said.

The centre will have an elegant 450-seat auditorium, 19 meeting rooms, a Grand Ballroom to seat up to 2,688 people theatre style or 1,200 for a banquet, a Junior Ballroom to seat up to 1,026 theatre style or 540 for a banquet.

OCEC is set in its own purpose-built precinct in Madinat Al Irfan, the new vibrant heart of Muscat, owned and developed by Omran. The precinct will include four luxury hotels. Work is in progress on the five-star JW Marriott, and the four-star Crowne Plaza, both of which are set to open in 2017. There will also be a 127,000-sq-m shopping mall, a business park and a variety of leisure offerings.

Leveraging its 22,000 sq m of flexible exhibition space and its state-of-the-art facilities, OCEC will help local shows grow and achieve their full potential in the international arena, he said.

In its inaugural year, OCEC expects to attract over 450,000 visitors.