HISTORY

In the 19th century the town of Dunkirk bought Ostend's theatre. This building, designed on a metal structure by the architect Henry Beyart, was entirely dismantled and transferred to Dunkirk where it was re-erected. It thus made a leap of 30 miles or so, leaving the Belgian sea front for the beach of Malo-les-Bains.

It kept its name - Kursaal - and quickly drew very many locals and tourists, every day of the week, to concerts, dances, plays, operettas...

The Kursaal of Dunkirk, since its opening in 1983 was a building divided up into two parts, capable of hosting on the one hand shows with seating accommodation for 2,700 people, and on the other hand business conventions in a auditorium seating 500. Between the two buildings, there was a Casino.

In 2002, following the decision to move the casino a hundred or so metres to the square of the same name, the town of Dunkirk decided, given the ageing nature of the Kursaal and the crucial lack of exhibition space and seminars, to start renovation and extension work on the building in April 2003. A 3,000 m2 exhibition hall therefore came into being on the site of the old casino, bringing the total capacity of the Kursaal to 15,000 m2, divided up between a theatre (entirely renovated) capable of accommodating up to 6,000 people seated or standing, an auditorium seating 500 and complemented by seminar rooms and catering facilities, and lastly the exhibition hall with the possibility of doubling its surface area by using the theatre space, as the tiers of seats could easily be stored in the basement.

At the end of March 2005, the work is coming to an end. The Kursaal is hosting ever more events under optimum conditions. This conference centre with its feet in the water is now enabling Dunkirk to establish itself as a French Mecca for business tourism and major events.