Report: GAMESCom, Cologne Takes Over From GC, Leipzig

German trade association Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware and Cologne's trade fair business Koelnmesse have announced that the Leipzig Games Convention will be replaced with a new industry event, called GamesCom, set to take place in Cologne, Germany in September of 2009. The new event was revealed at a joint press conference between Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware and Koelnmesse, according to a German reporter from consumer website Eurogamer. During the conference, BIU head Olaf Wolters reportedly said that while Leipzig had done a great job, the organization aimed to internationalize the event further and support Cologne. The new location will reportedly offer 284,000 square feet of exhibition space, and some 80,000 hotel beds are available in the immediate area. German TV station RTL, whose base is nearby the Cologne event location, will support the event. The September timing is related to the holiday season in Southern Europe.