Zagreb’s new mega project presented – a €51 million modern congress centre, hotel

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević has officially presented the long-awaited Congress Centre Zagreb project, one of the city’s five major infrastructure priorities for the coming term.

The new Congress Centre will be built on the site of the Zagreb Fair (Zagrebački velesajam), following the resolution of a 27-year legal dispute over land ownership.

Although first proposed decades ago, and with a design competition held back in 2005, the project is finally moving forward.

“Zagreb has lacked a proper congress centre for far too long. Cities across Europe have similar facilities, and now it’s our turn. The Zagreb Fair location is perfect—it’s central yet avoids city centre congestion, and it’s close to the motorway and airport,” said Mayor Tomašević. “This will become the new heart of Novi Zagreb.”

(Photo: Grad Zagreb)

The modern facility will support conference tourism, local public events, and private business. It will feature advanced technology, with a main hall seating 2,500, a smaller hall with 600 seats, and six modular halls of 150 seats each.

Additional meeting rooms and a 600-space underground car park are also planned.

Site location (Photo: Grad Zagreb)

Site location (Photo: Grad Zagreb)

Beyond the Congress Centre, the area will also host new cultural venues as part of a public investment. There are also plans for commercial buildings and a hotel, to be developed through private investment.

The city’s investment in the project is estimated at €51 million (excluding VAT). Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with the centre expected to open in early 2029.

The Congress Centre is one of five strategic projects in the city’s development plan, alongside the reconstruction of Maksimir Stadium, a new waste management centre, the western Jarun Bridge, and the “Zagreb Project” for upgrading the water supply system.