His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, has formally approved a AED 10 billion expansion plan for the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) at Expo City Dubai — a landmark investment that will make DEC the largest purpose-built indoor events and exhibitions venue in the Middle East.
The approval, announced in September 2024, targets doubling Dubai's large-scale event hosting capacity from around 300 events per year to over 600 by 2033.
Three-Phase Expansion Plan
The development will be delivered across three phases, each progressively scaling up DEC's footprint.
Phase 1 (completion: 2026) will expand the exhibition area to 140,000 square metres — approximately 2.5 times the current 58,000 sq m capacity. This initial phase is designed to dramatically increase the centre's ability to host major international exhibitions.
Phase 2 (completion: 2028) will grow the total exhibition floor to approximately 160,000 sq m, alongside significant infrastructure upgrades including expanded road networks and new multi-storey car parks.
Phase 3 (completion: 2031) will bring the final exhibition area to 180,000 sq m, adding 26 new halls arranged on a single contiguous level spanning 1.2 kilometres. At full build-out, the venue will be capable of hosting one mega-event or up to 20 simultaneous events. Phase 3 also includes a 300-plus room hotel, retail outlets, commercial offices, and an industrial kitchen.
Strategic Vision Behind the Investment
The expansion is a core pillar of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and reinforces Dubai's ambition to lead the global meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry.
Sheikh Mohammed stated: "We have approved the master plan for the expansion of the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai, with an investment of AED 10 billion. This iconic venue will become the largest indoor exhibition and events destination in the region."
When complete, the expanded DEC will be 1.5 times larger than the existing Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, cementing Expo City Dubai's role as a world-class economic and events hub.
