Reed builds airshow facility in Singapore

By Leithen Francis SINGAPORE Asian Aerospace, a joint venture between Reed Exhibitions and Singapore Technologies Aerospace (STA), is planning to build a new exhibition facility near Singapore's airport. The new facility will be able to stage outdoor events such as Asian Aerospace, a bi-annual trade and public show displaying commercial and military aircraft. The show is currently staged at Changi Airport but Asian Aerospace's contract expires after 2004 and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is unwilling to renew the contract because it needs the land to build a new terminal, said Mr Jimmy Lau, Reed Exhibition Companies president in Singapore. The new facility will need to be close to the airport and will have 30,000 to 35,000sqm of indoor space and 100,000sqm of outdoor space. Reed Exhibitions will allow other exhibition companies to use the facility said Mr Lau. It will provide an alternative to Singapore Expo and Suntec Singapore for those needing large areas of outdoor space. The Airport Authority Hong Kong is also building an outdoor facility that can be used for air shows but Mr Lau ruled out staging Aerospace Asia in Hong Kong. He said the facility at Chek Lap Kok airport "is still not ready and even though it is close to a big market like China it would be more difficult to stage it there".