When global leaders convene in Seoul, Korea later this year for the annual G20 Summit, the preparation and planning may be the most comprehensive ever undertaken by a host venue.
The internationally renowned Coex Convention & Exhibition Center, located in the heart of Seoul and part of the larger World Trade Center Seoul, has taken the additional step of ensuring the leadership gains experience from lessons learned at past global summits. As a result, it has established a unique and forward-thinking agreement with the general services contractor, Washington, DC-based Hargrove, to ensure Korea hosts the finest global summit the world has seen.
Hargrove, along with its technical partner Showcall, were given the task of general contracting and providing technical services for the highly publicized 2009 Pittsburgh Summit last fall, and most recently provided similar services for the Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington DC in mid April.
Hargrove and Showcall have combined resources to produce some of the largest, high profile events the world has seen, including Pope Benedict XVI’s Mass to 47,000 at Nationals Stadium, G20 Summit in Washington DC, G8 Summit in Savannah Ga., and a number of presidential inaugurations, including 2009’s.
The team will perform a number of tasks for the Coex team including providing insights on their experiences in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC as well as suggested approaches to managing the growing electrical, internet and broadcast requirements of the hundreds of media who typically cover the summits.
“Our team is extremely impressed by the expertise of the group at the Coex and the extent to which they are willing to go in preparing for the Summit,” said Tim McGill, Hargrove CEO. “I hope the concept of passing on previous year’s learning will continue.”
