In late September 2026, the Ministry of Urban Development and Agglomeration Development of Nizhny Novgorod Region (Minigrad) issued JSC "Nizhny Novgorod International Airport" a new permit to prepare a planning and land-survey project for the territory of the "Nizhny Expo" congress and exhibition center. The document replaced the previous order dated June 2025.[1][2]
Changes to project parameters
Under the new assignment, the congress center building may have from one to three floors — the previous project provided for two floors. The total area of the complex has been increased from 103.65 thousand sq. m to 116.89 thousand sq. m. The built-up area, by contrast, has decreased: from 77.84 thousand sq. m to 69.07 thousand sq. m. The site for which the documentation is being prepared has also been expanded — from 27.8 hectares to 29.3 hectares.[1][2]
The complex is planned to be located on Bezvodnaya Street, east of Chkalov Airport. It will include exhibition halls, congress zones, a hotel, and service infrastructure facilities.[2] The development of the planning documentation is financed by the applicant itself — the Nizhny Novgorod airport — from its own funds; the deadline for completing the assignment is September 28, 2027.[3][2] The final parameters of the facility will be determined following the preparation of the planning and land-survey project.[1]
Project history
The project agreement between the government of Nizhny Novgorod Region and JSC "Regional Airports Management Company" was signed in June 2025 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. At that time, the investment volume was estimated at more than 18 billion rubles.[1] In February 2026, the project was included in the list of facilities for which a concession agreement was planned to be concluded that same year; by then, the construction cost had been revised to 41.2 billion rubles, and the construction period to 3.5 years.[1][3]
According to the regional Ministry of Economic Development, the congress center is needed to host large-scale events, will create new jobs, and will attract additional investment and tax revenue to the regional budget.[3]
Sources
- NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" — The congress center near the Nizhny Novgorod airport may grow to three floors, Nizhny Novgorod News
- Newsroom24 — The congress center at the Nizhny Novgorod airport may be made three stories tall — Real Estate
- GIPERNN — The congress center near the Nizhny Novgorod airport may reach three floors