Co-op Live boss Gary Roden has spoken to IQ about the mission to make the new Manchester venue the “biggest and best arena in Europe”.

A joint venture between Oak View Group (OVG) and City Football Group (CFG), the 23,500-cap development will become the UK’s largest arena when it launches at Etihad Campus, the site of Manchester City FC’s Etihad Stadium in Eastlands, in April 2024. Harry Styles has also invested in the project.

Roden joined Co-op Live as general manager six months ago, taking charge of the strategic and operational delivery, after over eight years at Ticketmaster UK, latterly as SVP of client development and commercial. Roden credits OVG CEO Tim Leiweke’s influence on the arena’s groundbreaking “music-first” design.

“You can expect a building that’s very forward-thinking – that’s what Tim is all about,” says Roden. “Tim is always in the future and he’s put a big stake in Manchester because he firmly believes in it, along with our partner City Football Group. The plan is to build this incredible space in the north that is of the same scale you would expect from a capital city. It’s definitely got the Tim touch to it, put it that way.”

“Manchester is the UK’s second biggest music market by a significant distance”

He continues: “Tim Leiweke’s key focus was that he wanted it to be Europe’s biggest nightclub and the venue’s got a lot more going on for the fan to engage with before, during and after the event.

“The thing that is surprising people the most is how big, yet intimate it is, and that’s because the floor has been designed as a standing music floor and then the seats have been built around that. A lot of the legacy arenas in the UK are built around ice rinks, so they have a smaller footprint on the floor and it leads to the seats being a much steeper angle. But everyone’s going to be a lot closer to the artist on average here than they would be in an equivalent venue.

“We’re also very confident that from a sound perspective, the artist is going to be incredibly happy with what we deliver for them. I just can’t wait for that first big, loud gig to kick in; it’s going to be amazing.”

With concerts by Olivia Rodrigo (two dates), Keane, Take That (seven), Elbow, Eric Clapton, Barry Manilow, Smashing Pumpkins & Weezer, James, Liam Gallagher (four), Jonas Brothers, Niall Horan and Simply Red announced so far, Co-op Live’s opening season is rapidly taking shape. The headline act for its first night is still to be confirmed, however.

“We’ve got to go through a cycle of test events – which we think are going to be in April – and then the first official event will be in late April, so we’re in the final throes of working that out,” Roden tells IQ. “At the moment, we’re looking at 35 shows in the first two-and-a-bit months, so it’s a very significant opening period.

“Arenas usually go quiet in May/June because everyone turns their attention to festival season, so the fact we’re going to be doing up to 40 shows in that window is is huge and we’ve still got some big multi-night announcements to come. It might be quite late before we confirm the first show, but the options we’ve got at the moment are really exciting. Unfortunately that’s all I can say at this point!”

“We want to create residencies in Manchester and distort the model so that, if something big comes to the UK, it just doesn’t sit in London”

While Co-op Live will go head-to-head with ASM Global’s long-established 21,000-cap AO Arena in Manchester, Roden says the goal is to “grow the overall pie” for live music in the city.

“We decided on Manchester on the basis that it is the UK’s second biggest music market by a significant distance after London,” he says. “And if you’re looking to build a new facility, then London’s got two [arenas], Birmingham’s got two, etc. I also think that people up north in general just love live music, and we see that in the stats. So I think there’s definitely room for us in Manchester.”

Roden is optimistic the residency model showcased by local heroes Take That’s seven-night stand will become more commonplace at the venue, potentially leading to longer UK tours for global superstars.

“The idea and the mission is to be the biggest and best arena in Europe, and secondly, to bring more global talent to Manchester – that is ultimately the focus,” he insists. “Our model is based on bringing in international and UK artists to Manchester and sit there for longer. Manchester has now got seven Take That [shows] and London’s only got six, and that’s a massive step forward for us.

“Hopefully in the next three months or so as we start to move towards opening, you’ll get to see what we mean by that in terms of what we’re trying to deliver. We want to create residencies in Manchester and distort the model so that, if something big comes to the UK, it just doesn’t sit in London, it comes to Manchester and sits up north longer.”

“The scene is vibrant and we’re looking forward to taking it up an extra notch”

Moreover, he notes the venue appears to be a draw in its own right.

“Tottenham Hotspur found that the talk about the quality of their new stadium led to a lot of people going to the first thing that they just to experience what it’s like, and I think we’re in similar territory,” he says. “A venue of this scale and size hasn’t been built in the UK since The O2, so it’s a big thing for live entertainment and a lot of people are keen to see it.

“The stats are crazy at the moment: 30% of people are travelling more than 100 km to see the first 10 acts we announced and 50% are coming more than 50km, so it’s not just a local thing, which we’re incredibly excited about because it proves out what we always thought this would be – a northern powerhouse of a venue for live entertainment indoors.”

OVG says Co-op Live, which is a partner for ILMC 36, has been designed “with sustainability at its core”, and will use electricity for everything from air-source heat pumps for heating and domestic hot water through to cooling and catering, without any gas supply serving the site. It will become the UK’s first all-electric arena upon its opening and has pledged to support Manchester City Council’s target of becoming net zero carbon by 2038.

“[Sustainability] has fed into every single aspect of it,” adds Roden. “With where we are in the world right now, you have to build any infrastructure project responsibly, with sustainability in mind – never mind a large entertainment building. The artists demand it and the fans demand it now as well, so that’s what we’ve got to deliver.”

Referencing the wider UK arena sector, Roden concludes: “The level of competition is high, but it needs to be because the demand is there. Live was always strong leading into Covid, but post-Covid that ability to enjoy something in a live environment has really captured the public’s imagination and they definitely crave live experiences.

“The arena industry, in general, is in great shape. Competition is high, which ultimately helps fans and artists because it means people have to invest more in their buildings. There are new facilities being talked about and people are looking to invest in the infrastructure to make it better, so the scene is vibrant and we’re looking forward to taking it up an extra notch.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Manchester’s Co-op Live has revealed Jonas Brothers as the first act to be confirmed for its opening season line-up.

The trio will grace the 23,500-cap venue, which is set to become the UK’s largest live entertainment arena, on 17 June 2024 as part of their Five Albums. One Night world tour.

A joint venture between Oak View Group and City Football Group, Co-op Live is due to open in April 2024 and already has 25 events booked for its first month.

“We’re counting down the days until we can open the doors of this incredible new venue for Manchester and the UK,” says Gary Roden, Co-op Live’s executive director and general manager. “I’m thrilled that shortly after announcing our April 2024 opening date, we can reveal that Jonas Brothers will be part of our opening season of globally renowned artists, highlighting the strength and diversity across our forthcoming line-up of shows.”

The venue held a ‘topping out’ ceremony earlier this month to mark the final stage of roof construction and a major milestone in development.

“This first artist and pre-sale ticket announcement marks a key milestone”

Co-op Live has outlined its commitment to sustainability through all-electric power, zero waste to landfill, and 100% rainwater collection. It will donate at least £1m a year to the Co-op Foundation to deliver on its new youth-led strategy and Co-op’s vision of ‘Co-operating for a fairer world’ in a collective effort will be known as ‘Gigs that Give Back’.

“This first artist and pre-sale ticket announcement marks a key milestone for the eagerly anticipated opening of Co-op Live,” adds Amanda Jennings, Co-op’s director of marketing communications. “The arena embodies Co-op’s principles, values and vision and we’re looking forward to seeing these brought to life through this unique partnership.

“Additionally, we’re excited to start sharing what we have in the pipeline for our members, which includes exclusive benefits such as first in line access to tickets, food and beverage discounts at Co-op concessions and hospitality experiences.”

The Co-op Live concert is one of 27 Jonas Brothers shows to be added to the band’s tour across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The new dates include their first time performing in Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Hamburg, Lyon, Munich, and Norway.

The group have also extended the North America leg of the run with 26 new shows, bringing their biggest tour ever to over 90 shows across 20 countries.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

City Football Group (CFG), a global operator of football and sports-related business, has become Oak View Group’s (OVG) equal joint venture partner and investor in Co-op Live.

The Manchester venue has also attracted investment from pop star Harry Styles who acquired a minority stake in October 2020.

The arena, which at 23,500 capacity will be the UK’s largest, was given planning approval in September and is set to open on the Etihad Campus in 2023.

CFG, the lead developer of the Etihad Campus, will coordinate with OVG on jobs, sustainability and “advancing the campus as a global sport, leisure and entertainment destination”.

Tim Leiweke, co-founder and CEO at OVG, commented: “We are thrilled that CFG has chosen to invest in Co-op Live, and we can’t think of a better partner for this project. We are creating one of the world’s best arenas in Manchester. This venue will push the boundaries of live entertainment and be a significant source of opportunity for the city. We also know that this is precisely the right time to make such a substantial financial investment in Manchester, helping it build back from the terrible impact of Covid-19.

“With CFG as a JV partner, [we can create] a magical intersection of sports and entertainment that will be the envy of the world”

“The Etihad Campus was always a clear choice due to its proximity to the city centre and the opportunity to be part of a growing visitor destination with excellent existing transport links. With CFG as a JV partner, we can push the boundaries on how Co-op Live delivers for artists, every single fan, the UK’s music industry and the city by creating a magical intersection of sports, community and entertainment that will be the envy of the world.”

Marty Edelman, board director at CFG, commented: “Co-op Live unlocks the potential for the Etihad Campus to grow as an entertainment destination that creates more reasons for the nation and world to visit Manchester.

“The chairman and the board’s priority has always been to ensure Co-op Live seamlessly integrates with the campus and compliments Manchester’s city centre offer. As a joint venture partner and investor, we will ensure the Co-op Live becomes part of the fabric of East Manchester and delivers the fullest community and economic impact as Manchester, and the wider region builds back from Covid.”

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Following months of feasibility studies begun in August 2019, Oak View Group (OVG) has confirmed it plans to bring forward a planning application for a new arena in Manchester, in northern England.

With a capacity of up to 23,500, the venue – to be located on the Etihad Campus, the site of Manchester City FC’s Etihad Stadium in Eastlands, east Manchester – would be, by some way, the largest indoor arena in the UK, and go head to head with the city-centre Manchester Arena (21,000-cap.), operated by rival ASM Global.

It would also be the most expensive – the £350 million in private investment funding the project is the most ever spent on an arena in the UK or Europe, says OVG. The new arena would support over 1,000 jobs once it is up and running, and 3,500 during the construction phase.

“We came to Manchester knowing that we needed to develop our proposals in a way that would support the needs and priorities of the entire city and deliver a venue that would enable Manchester to thrive in an evolving entertainment market,” says Tim Leiweke, co-founder and chief executive of Oak View Group. “Through extensive community and city centre consultations, we have understood the local priorities and vision that is transforming Eastlands, along with the ambitions that underpin Manchester’s development as a thriving place to live and visit.

“Our new venue … would place Manchester on the global entertainment map for decades to come”

“Our new venue would attract a wider range of the world’s most exciting events and create thousands of skilled jobs, genuine community opportunities, and significant economic benefits. It would place Manchester on the global entertainment map for decades to come.”

Oak View Group, a venue development, advisory and investment company co-founded by former AEG CEO Leiweke and ex-Live Nation chairman Irving Azoff, launched its London-based overseas division, OVG International, at ILMC 31 last March. The first OVG International project, Santa Giulia Arena in Milan, was announced in June.

OVG’s European Arenas Association-rivalling International Venue Alliance, meanwhile, counts Dusseldorf’s D.Live, Birmingham’s NEC Group and Ascot Racecourse and Silverstone Circuit among its first members.

According to OVG, its proposals focus on “five key elements” that bring its “vision of a world-class, next-generation venue to Manchester”:

• Community: Local people have been involved in shaping the new arena from the very beginning, and OVG has a strong commitment to local employment, training schemes, and working with local partners to provide community activity space outside regular events
• Proximity: The venue will have an interior bowl (pictured) that brings artists and fans closer together than ever before, and transportation to and from the venue will be both convenient and sustainable
• Inclusivity: Design features for audiences and performers with additional needs have been built in from the start, with the project aspiring for Attitude is Everything Gold status
• Flexibility: While focused and designed for music, the venue is a fully flexible and versatile entertainment space for different types of events with the potential to attract a wide range of impressive world-renowned live events to the city, such as ATP tennis, NBA and NHL international games and major awards events
• Experience: Alongside the development of cutting-edge audio and visual technology, OVG will work with several world-leading content partners to bring unrivalled experiences and the world’s biggest and most exciting events to Manchester

Meanwhile, an energy-efficient design featuring ‘low-carbon technologies’ and waste reduction measures would make it one of the most sustainable venues in the UK, in line with Manchester’s Zero Carbon 2038 strategy.

“We appreciate the significance of our proposals for the entire city,” continues Leiweke. “We will present our full analysis of the Manchester opportunity along with our plans and are committed to engaging in dialogue and scrutiny throughout the planning process to ensure a second arena is a win-win for the city.”

OVG plans to submit a planning application in the coming weeks. Subject to successful planning approval, the company envisages the venue would take three years to build, with the first events planned to be held in 2023.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Silver Lake, a private equity firm with stakes in a number of major live entertainment companies, has acquired a US$500 million stake in Manchester City Football Club owner City Football Group (CFG), the partner on Oak View Group’s (OVG) new arena project.

The buy-in, which sees the investor take control of more than 10% of CFG, complements the $100m investment Silver Lake made in venue development group OVG last year.

OVG is currently working in partnership with CFG on building a major new concert venue in the Eastlands area of Manchester, home to the football club’s Etihad Stadium. The arena project entered into its second round of consultation meetings yesterday (Thursday 28 November), the day after Silver Lake announced its CFG investment.

“We and Silver Lake share the strong belief in the opportunities being presented by the convergence of entertainment, sports and technology”

“We and Silver Lake share the strong belief in the opportunities being presented by the convergence of entertainment, sports and technology,” comments CFG chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

Silver Lake has invested heavily in the entertainment industry in recent years and currently owns 100% of Asia-Pacific live entertainment giant TEG, 51% of WME/UFC parent company Endeavor and 8.4% of Madison Square Garden Company.

The investor’s most recent deal places CFG at a valuation of $4.8 billion – a record for a sports group. According to the Financial Times, the $500m cash injection will help fund CFG’s acquisition of more football clubs globally, as well as the planned construction of a new stadium in New York.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.

Blink Identity is to deploy its facial-recognition technology in a pilot programme for Manchester City FC, after winning the recent City Startup Challenge in Manchester, UK.

The five-day competition, organised by City Football Group, the Abu Dhabi-based holding company that owns the English Premier League champions, saw Texas-based Blink impress club bosses with its biometric security solution, which can identify people’s faces at full walking speed.

Over the coming weeks, Blink Identity will work with City Football Group on their VIP and Academy access solutions, in order to improve “both the overall experience and guest security”, says the company.

“We’re thrilled to have been chosen to work with the City Football Group, integrating our facial-recognition-at-walking-speed solution into their elite programming,” comments Mary Haskett, CEO and co-founder of Blink Identity.

“Our state-of-the-art biometric technology … will improve dwell times, overall and specific security issues”

“Our state-of-the-art biometric technology has high throughput rates and accuracy, which, combined with our ‘privacy first’ policy, will improve dwell times, overall and specific security issues, and also back and front of the house operations for this prestigious organisation.”

Blink Identity last year summer received US$1.5 million in seed funding from Sinai Ventures and Live Nation, with the latter’s CEO, Michael Rapino, describing how Blink’s tech could be used to “associate your digital ticket with your image”.

The technology made its public debut at the KNOW 2019 conference in Las Vegas in March, with guests entering the event by simply walking past Blink’s sensor.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.