Casino Kurzaal was renamed in 2011 as "Congress Centre Kurzaal" and became a venue for conferences, business meetings, seminars and similar events. Its convenient location on the banks of the River Are in the centre of the popular Alpine resort has made it very popular with the business elite from all over the world. "Congress Centre Kurzaal" offers its guests 19 spacious halls equipped with the latest technology for various events. The building can accommodate 2,000 people at a time.
The Kurzaal was built in 1859 as a spa salon for relaxation, reading, games, conversations and tea parties. Here the honourable public gathered for a merry pastime. In 1910 a concert and theatre hall were opened in the Kurzaal.
Until recently, the Kurzaal was home to the famous casino, where resort guests relaxed by playing roulette, poker, blackjack and slot machines. The casino appeared in this building in 1967 and was then called "The Little Casino", and after a while a law prohibiting gambling on the territory of Switzerland came into force. This law was cancelled only at the end of XX century. In 2009 in Interlaken with pomp celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Kurzaal, and the next year began its reconstruction under the elite business centre. The financing of the finishing works was taken over by Interlaken Congress & Events AG, a company that organises festivals and business meetings in Interlaken. First, one auditorium was decorated for the needs of businessmen, and then the rest of the former casino.
