Amazing new footage has revealed just how much of Manchester’s new 23,000 seat arena has been built.
The footage, shared last week by Co-op Live, shows a timelapse of construction at the site, which is next door to the Etihad football stadium. The new arena promises to be the UK’s largest indoor venue, and will boast 32 bars and restaurants alongside a ‘big sweaty hall’ .
Now, with its grand unveiling set for a little more than a year away, images shared by bosses show that the seating bowl has largely been installed at the venue. Those will be used by music fans ‘100 nights a year’, developer Oak View Group (OVG) says.
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Work has now been ongoing for two years at the East Manchester site, which could revolutionise the city — as the MEN understands discussions remain ongoing on if the venues bars and amenities will open on non-event days. If those plans go ahead, it could pave the way for the city centre to expand along the orange Metrolink line, from New Islington to the Etihad Campus and Holt Town areas.
OVG’s CEO — Tim Leiweke — also told the Manchester Evening News his ambitions for the project in the summer include ‘complimenting’ town. He explained: “If you think of points of destination in the world, where else do you have something like the Etihad Stadium, and an arena which is going to be one of the two or three best music arenas in the world, together?
"Where else do you see the rest of that development and ultimately have land to fill it in? But we do connect to the downtown area. We’re a mile from Piccadilly station and all the urban living and residential that is in between and which is moving towards the campus. We don’t want to suck the air of the downtown, we want to compliment it.”
For the time being, however, Mark Donnelly, OVG’s Chief Operating Officer, has paid thanks to everyone involved in making the £365m complex a reality. He said: “Two years into the project, we’re delighted by the significant progress in constructing Co-op Live on Manchester’s Etihad Campus.
“Our thanks go out to everyone involved in making the UK’s largest live entertainment arena a reality, ready to open in December 2023.”
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