Balmoral Showgrounds
| Location | King's Hall Balmoral Belfast BT9 6GW Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Owner | Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) |
| Capacity | Concerts: 28,000 Exhibitions: 18,000 Sporting events: 15,000 Conferences: 4,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 30 June 1896 |
| Architect | Messrs R Graeme-Watt and Tulloch |
Coordinates: 54°34′01″N 5°58′01″W / 54.567°N 5.967°W
The King's Hall Complex is a multi-purpose venue located in Lisburn Road, Balmoral, Belfast in Northern Ireland. The King's Hall Complex consists of 6 event venues, 3 of which are still in operation. The King's Hall Complex is owned by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (previously the North East Agricultural Association of Ireland), who moved to the Complex in 1896 from their previous showgrounds in Belfast Corporation Markets area.
In 1891, the North East Agricultural Association of Ireland appealed to its members and the general public for funds to purchase new premises as they had outgrown the site at Belfast Corporation Markets. Suitable land sites were considered at Bloomfield, Fortwilliam Park, Andersonstown, Turf Lodge, Ulsterville, Castlereagh Road, Ballymacarret, Ormeau Road and Antrim Road. However the most favoured was the land at Balmoral. Agreement to purchase the 32-acre (130,000 m2) Balmoral site was made in 1894. Work on the site began in 1896 and was finished for the opening of the first Balmoral Show on 30 June 1896.
The King's Hall was designed by Leitch and Partners, Glasgow, built in 1933 by J & R Thompson, Belfast and opened by the Duke of Gloucester on 29 May 1934. The King's Hall was 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 hosted the Balmoral Show, an annual agricultural show with regular attendees in excess of 75,000. 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.
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