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Co-op Live
The construction site in August 2023
Map
AddressEtihad Campus, 1 Sportcity Way, Manchester M11 3DL
LocationManchester, England
Coordinates53°29′11.41″N 2°11′58.82″W / 53.4865028°N 2.1996722°W / 53.4865028; -2.1996722
Public transitManchester Metrolink Etihad Campus
OwnerCity Football Group
Oak View Group
Harry Styles [1]
OperatorOak View Group
Capacity20,500 (all-seated)
23,500 (with standing)
Construction
Broke groundMay 2021 (2021-05)
Construction cost£365 million
ArchitectPopulous
Main contractorsBAM Construct UK
Website
www.cooplive.com

Co-op Live is an indoor arena in Manchester, England, sited in the Etihad Campus next to the City of Manchester Stadium. Originally due to open on 23 April 2024,[2] it is planned to have the largest maximum capacity (as seats plus standing spaces) of any indoor arena in the United Kingdom; greater than the existing Manchester Arena, which is under 2 miles (3.2 km) away.[3] As of 2022, the estimated cost of the scheme is £365 million.[4]

The venue has 32 bars, restaurants and lounges and will have the largest floor space of any indoor venue in the city.[4] Oak View Group is developing the scheme in partnership with City Football Group.[5]

History

In 2020, the Co-operative Group announced it would be a significant investor in the arena, which would be named after it, and that Co-operative members will receive exclusive benefits regarding use of the arena.[6]

Construction started in 2021.[7]

Opening and events

The arena was officially due to open on 23 April with a headline act by comedian Peter Kay, however due to power supply issues at a test event featuring Rick Astley on 20 April which resulted in 4,000 tickets being cancelled, the venue announced that Kay's performance was to be postponed until 29 and 30 April; The Black Keys were scheduled to perform on 27 April, but this was later rescheduled to 15 May.[8][9] On-going technical issues saw Kay's performances rescheduled for a second time to 23 and 24 May, along with the resignation of the general manager Gary Roden on 25 April.[7][10] The venue is now due to be opened in May with official opening artist, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.[11]

Olivia Rodrigo, Liam Gallagher, Arijit Singh, Take That and Pearl Jam are scheduled to separately perform at the arena.[12][13] In February 2024, it was announced that the arena would host the MTV Europe Music Awards in November.[14] On 24 April 2024, the UFC announced it would hold UFC 304 at the venue on 27 July.[15]

Arena design

Another perspective on the construction site (August 2023)

The arena is planning to host live music, sports, comedy acts, and family entertainment events. It will have an all-seated maximum capacity of 20,500 (for a centre-stage concert, extending the retractable seating in the lower tier); but with an enhanced maximum capacity of 23,500, of whom 7,500 would be standing, when lower tier seating is retracted.[16][17][18] The main ground floor public entrances to the arena will be from the North West with additional access to level 1 from the canalside to the South East. The stage-end will be to the East.

The audience bowl will be approximately square with retractable seating on level 0 and level 1, premium seating on level 2, upper tier seating on level 3, and hospitality lounges overlooking the stage at level 4 from the North and South sides; while the configuration of the auditorium is intended to be optimised for larger-scale touring music performances with a relatively low ceiling (to enhance the acoustic experience), an extensive potential flat floor area at Level 0 for standing, and minimised distances from the upper tiers to the stage. Compared to a more conventional arena bowl of equivalent size, the tiered seats on the Western side of the Co-op Arena are claimed to be around 20 metres (70 ft) closer to the performance stage. The promoters state that the interior of the bowl "has been designed to feel like the UK’s largest nightclub".[19]

The arena is planned to host around 120 events per year, 100 of which are planned music events. The design of the arena is primarily focused on hosting live music with Tim Leiweke, the CEO of the Oak View Group, stating that the design "made it about music and started there" as other arena projects had been "compromised by trying to please everyone".[4]

In addition to live music and entertainment, the developers propose basketball, netball, tennis, esports and gymnastics as sports that could be hosted within the dimensions of the arena floor, and for which there was not, at the time, an appropriate larger venue in Manchester capable of hosting championship events. With lower-tier seating retracted, the floor would accommodate a standard ice hockey pad. For events configured with a centre stage or using the arena floor, there will be additional upper-tier seating on the East side; above and behind the normal end-stage position.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "About Co-op Live". cooplive.com. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  2. ^ Robinson, Jon (5 June 2023). "New opening date for £365million Co-op Live indoor arena backed by Harry Styles". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Manchester's Co-op Live to become UK's first all-electric arena". NME. 2 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Chris Slater (28 June 2022). "'It'll be the greatest music arena ever built': Manchester's Co-op Live boss gives exciting update on £365m venue - and how Harry Styles and Bruce Springsteen helped". Manchester Evening News.
  5. ^ "Partners - Co-op Live". cooplive.com.
  6. ^ "New Arena in Manchester to be Called Co-Op Live Following Major Investment". Co-operative Group. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b Vinter, Robyn (26 April 2024). "More gigs postponed amid opening week chaos at Manchester Co-op Live arena". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Thousands 'fuming' after tickets cancelled for Co-op Live arena show in Manchester". theguardian.com. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Co-op Live: New Manchester arena postpones Peter Kay's opening shows". BBC News. Manchester. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  10. ^ Wilkes, Emma (25 April 2024). "Manchester Co-Op Live Arena boss resigns after rows, controversy and venue problems". NME. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  11. ^ "More gigs postponed amid opening week chaos at Manchester Co-op Live arena". theguardian.com. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Peter Kay to perform at opening of UK's largest indoor arena". BBC News. Manchester. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  13. ^ Maidment, Adam (15 February 2024). "Bollywood singer Arijit Singh UK tour confirmed including Co-op Live date". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Manchester's new Co-op Live arena to host MTV's Europe Music Awards". BBC News. Manchester. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  15. ^ "UFC 304 confirmed for Manchester in July". BBC Sport. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Design and Access Statement". Manchester City Council. 31 March 2020. pp. 39 and 115.
  17. ^ a b "Erection of a multi-use arena" (PDF). Manchester City Council. 31 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Manchester plans revealed for UK's largest indoor arena". BBC News. Manchester. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  19. ^ "Bosses of huge new arena next to the Etihad issue update ahead of grand opening". NME. 26 April 2022.

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-op_Live

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