The City of Kortrijk initiated the construction of the first exposition halls in 1966 in Kortrijk-South (Kortrijk-Zuid), close to the highway exit of the plannen E3, the current E17. The 'Kortrijk Halls' were officially inaugurated in April 1967. As a result of the more international approach of the exhibition centre, on 2 December 1999, the name was transformed into Kortrijk Xpo.
Whereas the complex covered some 6,000 square metres (65,000 sq ft) of exposition space and 2,500 square metres (27,000 sq ft) of meeting space at the beginning, the complex was later enlarged to 32,500 square metres (350,000 sq ft), to 37,200 square metres (400,000 sq ft) in 2005, and As of 2009[update] covers 55,000 square metres (590,000 sq ft). This makes the complex one of the biggest fair centres in the BENELUX and even Europe. A new multipurpose hall, 'XXL', the so-called 'Black Box', was added in 2009.