The “Russia” National Center, which is being built next to Moscow City on the site of the “Expocenter,” has a budget estimate of 80 billion rubles. Following the publication of a “Verстка” investigation on September 17, the project’s cost was back on the agenda. We reviewed the documents: the amount does indeed appear in Moscow’s targeted investment program, but it is still too early to call it the final price of the completed building.
What’s Behind the 80 Billion Figure
In the published text of Moscow’s Targeted Investment Program for 2025–2028, as amended on December 23, 2025, the “Russia” Center is listed as a separate line item. Opposite it is listed 80,000 million rubles in the column “Contract value and/or maximum budget allocation.” The breakdown by year is as follows: 12 billion for 2025, 40 billion for 2026, and 28 billion for 2027.
These are the planned figures from this version of the document. Based on them, it is impossible to determine how much has already been transferred to contractors or what the final cost will be upon completion of the work. Vedomosti had already reported on the same 80 billion on March 26, 2026, so it would be incorrect to consider the figure disclosed for the first time in September.
What Will Replace the Exhibition Pavilions
The future complex will occupy the site of the former “Expocenter” on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment. We discussed how the concept for this site has evolved in our article on the “Russia” National Center project.
The ATRIUM project profile lists a total floor area of 215,000 m². The architects propose an elongated building with a wave-like roof: against the backdrop of the City’s vertical towers, its silhouette will be distinctly horizontal. Inside, the plans include exhibition spaces, a 3,500-seat concert hall, a media center, and dining areas.
Of particular interest to visitors to the area is a covered plaza with an amphitheater. According to the architects’ vision, events can be held here in the summer, and an ice rink can be set up in the winter. The project also includes a landscaped park. If these plans are implemented, the business district will have yet another reason for people to linger after work or visit on the weekend.
When to Expect the Opening
Construction began on March 26, 2026. According to Interfax, Sergey Sobyanin attributed the site’s engineering complexity to the river’s proximity, water-saturated soil, and active metro lines running beneath the future building.
A report by *Vedomosti* on the ceremony cited November 4, 2029, as the opening date. However, the ATRIUM website currently lists 2028 as the completion date. These dates refer to different phases and differ from one another; the announced opening in 2029 remains the benchmark for visiting the new complex.
Why a comparison with “Zaryadye” requires some caveats
In some publications, the figure of 25 billion rubles is cited for the National Space Center alongside the 80 billion rubles. However, the same edition of AIP specifies approximately 99.8 billion rubles for the design and construction of the National Space Center complex. Therefore, the claim that “Rossiya” is three times more expensive than the space center is not supported by this analysis.
About 14 billion rubles for the “Zaryadye” park is the figure the authorities cited when it opened in 2017. It helps illustrate the scale, but it is not possible to directly compare different projects without taking into account the scope of work and price fluctuations. In the infographic, we have broken down the AIP figures and the historical cost estimates for the park.
