The new International Trade Centre at Regina’s Evraz Place opens its doors to the world later this month with Canadian Western Agribition (November 20-25).

The new $37 million facility offers 150 thousand square foot of space replacing a number of old buildings and barns.

Agribition is the first show in the new facility and President Bruce Holmquist says there’s a lot of excitement around the new facility.

"To best describe it, we're moving into new facilities that fit the times," he said. "We're long overdue and we're going to enjoy the heck out of them." 

With the International Trade Centre now complete all facilities at Evraz Place site are now interconnected with the exception of the new Mosaic Stadium.

Agribition CEO Chris Lane says even though it will have lots of livestock in there, this feels like the furthest thing from a barn.

"It's got modern food facilities, modern washroom facilities and it's going to be home to a lot of trade show exhibitors as well," Lane said. "I think it's generally going to be a crossroads at Agribition where the people from the city, shopping and the entertainment side and the people from the agriculture and livestock side come together in this building which is in the middle of the grounds and we will see a lot of cross-pollination between the guests looking for different and new thing at Agribition."         

Funding for construction of the new International Trade Centre included $22 million from the federal and provincial governments under the Growing Forward 2 agreement, $11 million from the City of Regina, $3 million from the Regina Hotels Association and $1 million from Canadian Western Agribition.