Clarion Gaming announces shortlisted cities to host ICE from 2025
ICE London may be no more as three other cities make it to the shortlist.
UK.- Clarion Gaming has announced that it’s moving into the next phase of its process to decide the future location of the world’s biggest international gaming event. For years, ICE London has been one of the most important dates in the gaming calendar, but three other cities will vie to host the event from 2025.
London has hosted ICE since the show began, first at Earls Court Exhibition Centre and then at ExCel in London’s Docklands from 2013. As such, the announcement of competing cities represents the biggest review of ICE since it was enlarged to incorporate the former International Gaming Expo (IGE) and Amusement Trades Exhibition International (ATEI) in 2009.
With specialist consultants Equimore, which has worked on major event brands like the MWC Barcelona, Clarion has announced a shortlist of four cities that meet its demanding criteria: London, Barcelona, Madrid and Paris. Each city will make a formal bid to host ICE for the period from 2025 to 2029 in a process that will be completed this year. Clarion hopes to announce the winner in Q3.
Alex Pratt, group managing director at Clarion Gaming, said: “This robust process is customer-centric and the decision will be taken in the best interests of our stakeholders and of the global gaming industry. iGB Affiliate London is very much part of the process and we are engaging with iGB Affiliate stakeholders in order to identify their preferred strategic path
“The four short-listed cities will progress through a selection process with the help of the experienced and knowledgeable team at Equimore, which is overseeing every aspect of what is a robust programme.
“In addition to the suitability of locations in terms of capacity, facilities and the ability to accommodate projected future growth, the process also encompasses dateline availability, transport connectivity with the rest of the world as well as the broader hospitality infrastructure, including accommodation costs.
“By pursuing all due diligence we will identify the city that’s best equipped to not only host an event which continues to play such a central role in helping to create opportunity and prosperity for gaming businesses of all sizes, across every vertical and in every global jurisdiction, but also demonstrate its leadership in the sector.
“In the interests of transparency, Clarion will not be making any further comment during the official process.”
This year, ICE London 2023 will take place at the ExCel back in its usual February slot (February 7 to 9) after a shift to April last year. It’s expected to attract more than 35,000 people.
