ASM Global’s AO Arena in Manchester Unveils Dramatic Multimillion Dollar Three-Year Reimagination of Legendary Venue
27.4.2022 20:05:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
ASM Global, the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences, venue management and event strategy, has announced a $63 million plan beginning this summer to transform the AO Arena in Manchester. This plan is set to dramatically enhance the venue’s premier position for live entertainment experiences through state-of-the-art infrastructure expansion and innovative guest features as the iconic arena looks to the future.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220427005883/en/
AO Arena, Manchester (Photo: Business Wire)
AO Arena in Manchester, located in the heart of the city, is one of the busiest indoor arenas in the world. Through its near 30-year history, the venue has firmly established itself as a beloved and iconic Manchester landmark, a must-play for artists, and a fan-favorite destination for world-class live entertainment. Officials from the AO Arena will be releasing more detailed plans in coming months.
Chris Bray, EVP Europe at ASM Global, said, “AO Arena is one of the world’s iconic venues and a much-loved part of Manchester’s rich culture and history. It has been delivering world-class entertainment experiences for over two decades. As we approach our 30th anniversary, this ambitious endeavor will not only reinforce its position as a leading destination for live entertainment but will extend its market leadership for ‘live’ and fan experiences for the next 30 years. We’re proud to be further investing into the heart of Manchester.
“The first phase will enhance and increase our standing floor capacity to share this historic arena with even more of our guests, and we will also be adding new hospitality lounges and investing in delivering an upgraded concourse experience. Our performers will be immersed in an all-new, back-of-house artists’ campus, unparalleled anywhere.”
Additional major developments include new arena entrances welcoming guests to the venue and new premium seating, which will transform the venue to an elevated experience.
AO Arena’s back-of-house campus dramatic upgrade will include a complete overhaul of the backstage experience for artists, production and crew. This includes new artist dressing rooms and production areas, a world-class green room with meet-and-greet facilities, an overhaul of crew catering, and first-class connectivity and technology.
Plans have already been jump started by the venue’s rapid scheduling of major sell-out 2022 events, including Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Diana Ross, Alicia Keys, Swedish House Mafia, Snoop Dogg, George Ezra and more.
Jen Mitchell, general manager at the AO Arena, said, “This is a really exciting time for AO Arena. Not only are we able to welcome guests back after a challenging two years with a program packed full of world-class acts and entertainment, now we can reveal the first phase of ASM Global’s plans for the arena’s redevelopment. This will enhance the experience for everyone who sets foot in the venue, including artists, production, crew and our staff who work so hard to make the magic happen right here in Manchester.”
Unveiled in 1995, the arena was the first indoor venue in the U.K. to be built with a layout of 360-degree seating. Attracting over 1 million visitors yearly, the 21,000-capacity arena is a winner of the Stadium Business Awards’ prestigious ‘Venue of the Year’ award. There has been a host of musical talent that has performed at the venue, from Led Zeppelin legends Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, The Rolling Stones and Pavarotti to Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga as well as Manchester’s homegrown artists including Take That, Oasis, Elbow, New Order and The Courteeners. The venue has hosted everything from the 2002 Commonwealth Games, 2008 FINA World Swimming Championships and international boxing bouts by Mike Tyson, Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, David Haye, Joe Calzaghe and local champions Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan and Anthony Crolla.
About ASM Global
ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management—delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 350 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. asmglobal.com
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220427005883/en/
Contact information
Jim Yeager
breakwhitelight (for ASM Global)
jim@breakwhitelight.com
Mobile: 1-818-264-6812
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Azafaros Completes Enrollment of Phase 3 (NAVIGATE) Study Evaluating Nizubaglustat for the Treatment of Patients with GM1/GM2 Gangliosidoses23.7.2026 14:00:00 EEST | Press release
Azafaros, a private company building a portfolio of disease-modifying therapeuticsto become a leader in lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) focused on addressing neurological symptoms, today announced the completion of patient recruitment in its Phase 3 study evaluating nizubaglustat for the treatment of GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses. “Completing enrollment in our Phase 3 GM1/GM2 study is a significant step toward potentially bringing nizubaglustat to patients and families living with these devastating neurodegenerative diseases," said Stefano Portolano, Chief Executive Officer at Azafaros. "We are deeply grateful to the patients, caregivers, investigators and advocacy groups who have made this milestone possible. As we advance the GM1/GM2 study toward data readout and regulatory submission, we continue to enroll in our Phase 3 NPC study and remain focused on our goal of addressing the significant unmet medical needs faced by these rare disease communities." Professor Roberto Giugliani, Princi
Francisco Partners Closes $21 Billion Across Flagship and Agility Funds23.7.2026 14:00:00 EEST | Press release
Francisco Partners (“FP”), a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology companies, today announced the closing of $21 billion in capital commitments across its Francisco Partners VIII, L.P. flagship fund and Francisco Partners Agility IV, L.P., its middle-market fund. FP exceeded its initial targets of $14.0 billion and $3.5 billion, respectively. This milestone builds on Francisco Partners' longstanding track record of performance, underscored by its distinction as the only firm to rank among the top three performers in each of the past six HEC-Dow Jones Large Buyout Performance Rankings.* “In our business, long-term success is created through a series of relationships built on years of trust and collaboration," said Dipanjan (“DJ”) Deb, Co-Founder and CEO of Francisco Partners. "We want to thank our investors for their support, our management teams for their dedication and performance, our friends and partners throughout the technology ecosystem, ou
Taiwanese ensembles showcase erhu and ocarina at Prague Folklore Days23.7.2026 11:21:00 EEST | Press release
The Prague Folklore Days 2026 was held on July 17 and 18 in the heart of Prague, bringing together 56 international arts groups from Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Spain, the Netherlands, and Poland. Four Taiwanese groups took part: Hildebrand Yu’s ocarina band, the Shi-xian Huqin Orchestra, the Taipei Folk Orchestra, and the Four Strings Ensemble. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722841530/en/ Taiwanese ensembles showcase erhu and ocarina at Prague Folklore Days Led by Huang Chun-sin, the official Taiwan representative band featured a diverse lineup of ocarina, erhu, and dance performers. Their program stood out among the European groups with its distinctive character and vivid stage presence. Hildebrand Yu’s ocarina band captivated audiences with warm, uplifting melodies accompanied by the ocarina and ukulele. Yu also performed “Twilight Waltz,” delivering a heartfelt piece of poetic expression, like sunlight
Taiwan Children’s Choirs Garner Major Awards at Hungarian Choral Competition23.7.2026 10:33:00 EEST | Press release
Competing against 36 leading contenders from 20 countries, four Taiwanese children’s choirs have garnered several major awards and top honors at the 5th Budapest International Choral Celebration, showcasing Taiwan’s cultural diversity and music excellence. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722613876/en/ Puzangalan Children’s Choir and Yo Wu Wei Children’s Chorus join forces with international choral ensembles and orchestras to perform Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor, K. 626 at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall of Müpa Budapest. With its pure, angelic voices and exceptional vocal techniques, Puzangalan Children’s Choir from Pingtung County won the top prize, Laurea Summa Cum Laude, in the Grand Prix Competition’s Youth Choir of Equal Voices, Folklore, and Sacred Music categories. In the Open Competition, Yo Wu Wei Children’s Chorus claimed three gold prizes in the categories of Youth Choir of Equal Voices
Evotec Selects Navan to Unify Global Travel, Payments, and Expense Management23.7.2026 10:00:00 EEST | Press release
Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN), the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform, today announced that Evotec (NASDAQ: EVO; Frankfurt Prime Standard: EVT), the global drug discovery and development company, has selected Navan to manage its complete corporate Travel and Expense (T&E) program in its top global markets. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260722261092/en/ Global drug discovery leader partners with Navan to drive operational excellence and eliminate manual expense reporting A life science company that is pioneering the future of drug discovery and development, Evotec had historically managed T&E independently across different countries, meaning employees were dealing with a patchwork of different tools and manual offline processes. As part of its focus on operational excellence, Evotec is further streamlining these processes through one unified, easy-to-use platform that supports consistency, transpar
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom