Project team named for Manchester arena

Developer Oak View Group (OVG) has appointed the Royal BAM Group (BAM) as its preferred construction partner, and Populous, a global architecture design firm, to lead the world-class team behind a new 23,500-capacity arena in Manchester.

The venue, which will be located close to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, will be the largest arena in the UK, bringing £350M private direct investment into the city and significant economic benefit.

OVG said the new arena will deliver the best in class artist-fan experience for any arena in Europe, have the flexibility to accommodate multiple event types so Manchester can host a broader range of music, sport and entertainment events, and would be the most sustainable arena in the UK.

Tim Leiweke, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of OVG, said: “I’m thrilled that we have put together a project team of such calibre, and with such strong links to the beating heart of the North West and Manchester.

“While we are living in uncertain times, we know that Manchester and its people are resilient. And we look forward to being intrinsic to the redevelopment of the east of the City, working in close partnership with local people who are the most important part of this project.

“Manchester is a thriving and vibrant city – and along with BAM, Populous, and our other incredible partners, we are excited about a new addition to its entertainment scene in the coming months.”

Ian Fleming, Regional Director for BAM in the North West said: “Having built some of this incredible city’s most important and recognisable structures, BAM is a perfect fit for the scale and quality of the scheme. We bring a highly sophisticated and sustainable construction approach coupled with our well-known collaborative ethos.

“What that means for Manchester is not only a world-class arena, but our commitment to the city as good partners will see us use this fantastic opportunity to help develop skills and people’s life chances, as well as generating exciting local economic benefits.”

Declan Sharkey, Senior Principal and Project Architect at Populous, added: “This ground-breaking venue will set new benchmarks in sustainable arena design, as well as creating an experience and form that sits perfectly within Manchester’s architectural context and vibrant community. We are delighted to be working with Oak View Group on its exciting vision for East Manchester.”