| King's Hall Complex | |
|---|---|
| The Kings Hall | |
| Former names | King's Hall Exhibition and Conference Centre |
| Location | King's Hall Balmoral Belfast BT9 6GU N. Ireland |
| Opened | 29 May 1934 |
| Owner | Royal Ulster Agricultural Society |
| Capacity | 7,800 |
The King's Hall Complex is a multi-purpose venue located on the Lisburn Road, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the largest exhibition venue in Northern Ireland and prior to the completion of the Odyssey and the Waterfront Hall, was the only large concert venue in Northern Ireland. It hosts the Balmoral Show, an annual agricultural show, as well as concerts and sporting events.
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The hall is owned by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society and is the largest exhibition venue in Northern Ireland, having in excess of 10,000 square metres of exhibition space on a 33-acre (130,000 m2) site. It can accommodate 1,000 conference delegates and provide banqueting facilities for 2,000 diners.[1] The exhibition centre can hold up to 7,800 patrons, with standing facilities.
The stepped facade of the hall features substantial windows and Art Deco motifs on doors and buttresses. Inside the functional space is spanned by reinforced concrete arches[2].
The hall was designed by Leitch and Partners, Glasgow, built in 1933[2] and opened on 29 May 1934.
The venue is also a famous boxing venue. Rinty Monaghan boxed several times in the hall. A blue plaque was unveiled in his memory at the hall in 2007. In 1985 Barry McGuigan made his first title defence against Bernard Taylor at the King's Hall, having fought there on six previous occasions. Both boxers have become synonymous with the venue. Other famous bouts to have taken place in the hall include Ray Close's rematch with Chris Eubank in 1994, and Dave McAuley's two fights with Fidel Bassa in 1987 and 1988. Other high profile boxers to have fought at the venue include: Jamie Moore, John Duddy, Martin Lindsay, Neil Sinclair, Robin Reid, Wayne McCullough, Danny Williams, Amir Khan, Paul McCloskey and Eamonn Magee
Northern Ireland's biggest dance music promoter PlanetLove host annual winter party and spring party events at the venue, importing the finest DJ talent and seizing audiences of 7,000. Planet Fun, Europe's biggest travelling theme park regularly makes stops at the hall between late September to November.
Ireland's largest Christian festival Summer Madness is hosted at the King's Hall in early July each year, with 5 days of camping, worship and seminars.