Yudhoyono Hopes to Impress Foreign Leaders With $280m Bali Convention Center

Jakarta Globe, Made Arya Kencana | January 27, 2011

Plans are underway for the construction of a new $280 million convention center in Bali that will serve as the main venue of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be held on the island in 2013.

The convention center was requested by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as a means of boosting the country’s image on the international stage, Turman Siagian, the head of the planning bureau at the Culture and Tourism Ministry, said on Thursday after an APEC planning meeting.

“The president would like to dedicate the very best to increase Indonesia’s image in the eyes of the international community,” he said.

The annual APEC summit is attended by the heads of state of 21 Pacific Rim countries, and is held to promote free trade and cooperation between member states.

Turman said the Bali International Park will be built on a 54-hectare plot of land in Jimbaran, Badung district.

Aside from seating 10,000 people in its assembly hall and 2,500 more in a secondary hall, the facility will also be equipped with a commerce center, an exhibition space and a cultural center.

Heads of state will stay in 21 residential units within the compound during the summit, according to Frans Bambang Siswanto, commissioner of project developer Jimbaran Hijau.

“The budget projection for the Bali International Park is estimated at $280 million,” he said.

Additional facilities will include a hotel, an international standards medical clinic, and art market and gallery, Frans said.

A tower symbolizing peace will be the focal point of the convention center compound.

The project is slated to begin sometime early this year and is targeted for completion by April 2013 in time for the summit.

“After the APEC summit, Bali International Park is designed to be a comprehensive tourist destination that can serve as an alternative to the other tourist spots in Bali,” Frans said.

When asked why the island needed a new convention center, Turman said the Bali International Convention Center in Nussa Dua was no longer suitable for large-scale events as it had only 5,000 seats and lacked the proper amenities for hosting foreign dignitaries.

Aside from the convention center, other infrastructure is also being built, such as a new toll road that will connect Denpasar and Nusa Dua.