Hasselt’s first exhibition space, called Hexagoon, opened in 1983 and was managed by the city and Unizo, the organisation representing the self-employed. Beginning in 2004, the Grenslandhallen witnessed a rapid expansion, with the opening of the 13,600-square-metre Ethias Arena and the Plopsaland indoor theme park. “The combination of the venues allowed us to offer an extensive package of leisure possibilities for a broad audience,” says Tom Vandeput, chairman of the non-profit organisation Grenslandhallen, which previously managed the complex.

Children’s TV and event producers Studio 100 will continue to run Plopsaland, and the space known as Hall 5 will still be managed by the Versuz nightclub. The Sportpaleis will, meanwhile, invest €12 million in the other venues of the cluster, including a huge expansion of Ethias Arena.

“Turning a ‘box’ into a multifunctional and efficient event hall will take a substantial part of the budget,” says Jan Van Esbroeck, managing director of Sportpaleis. Further, “the Congrestheater will be upgraded to become a full-scale musical theatre space, with a separate entrance and a capacity of 3,000 – a perfect complement to the Sportpaleis’s activities and a new entry in the inventory of mid-size venues in Flanders.”

Following the success of sports events in the neighbouring Lotto Arena, the Sportpaleis will transform the Grenslandhallen’s “Studio” hall into a basketball court, with room for 2,000 fans. They are aiming for 25,000 visitors a year.

Finally, the Hexagoon, Esplanade and Foyer halls will be renovated. All venues can be used separately or offer expansion possibilities for the others.

“Just like in the past, we don’t think of the Grenslandhallen as a competitor but as a provider for both local and international top concerts and events,” says Van Esbroeck. “Combining all these activities under one umbrella will undoubtedly benefit the success of the Grenslandhallen. We plan to offer the right content at the right time in the right venue.”

Under the 27-year deal, the Sportpaleis paid €625,000 for Grenslandhallen’s assets and will further pay an annual fee of €650,000. “This amount will take into account investments made by the Sportpaleis and be adapted accordingly,” explained Vandeput.