The Show Must Go On… But Where!?
The builders of the new Co-op Live arena say they are “working diligently” to complete works amid the latest crisis to hit the as yet to open venue. The situation is being “monitored closely” by city chiefs after the opening of the £365m venue was pulled at the very last minute for a third time on Wednesday night, with bosses revealing that a nozzle from the ventilation and air conditioning system fell to the ground from the ceiling during a final soundcheck. No one was injured, but the venue decided to pull the plug on the performance from Bronx rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.
Fans were left queuing outside just minutes before doors were due to open for the gig. Staff and fans were seen in tears outside the venue after bosses announced they would need to “leave the area” after the cancellation.
Nicki Minaj, The Eagles, Barry Manilow and Eric Clapton are all due to play the arena in coming weeks, but so far only a test event by Rick Astley has gone ahead. Thousands of fans, for the third time, were left disappointed after turning up for an event only for it to be cancelled. It was then announced that Olivia Rodrigo's Friday and Saturday night shows were also being pulled as a result of the incident.
The main contractor for the arena, the construction firm BAM said today: “The safety of fans and staff is our number one priority. Unfortunately, in the run up to last night’s concert, an issue arose that meant the difficult decision was made to cancel the event. We apologise for the inconvenience that this has caused for many. Our team continues to work diligently on completing works to the arena.”
The “embarrassing” fiasco has led to questions and criticism of how the arena’s opening has been handled. Manchester City Council said the authority’s building control is yet to sign the building off, though this is routine procedure until all “snagging” is completed - and venues can operate without a completion certificate. The earlier test show featuring Rick Astley had attendances slashed, and in the days that followed further gigs by Peter Kay and The Black Keys were pulled, after an issue with emergency services communications systems.
The arena is run by US based Oak View Group. Tim Leiweke, chairman and chief executive of the Oak View Group, said: “The safety and security of all visiting and working on Co-op Live is our utmost priority, and we could not and will not run any event until it is absolutely safe to do so. I deeply apologise for the impact that this has had on ticket holders and fans.”
The Co-operative Group, which has reportedly paid up to £100m in a 15 year deal to have its name on the ill fated arena, said it was “shocked” by the latest incident and will seek a “full explanation” from Oak View Group. In a statement the firm said on Wednesday: “As the naming rights sponsor for Co-op Live, we are shocked at the incident which has led to late cancellation of tonight’s show at the arena. We are relieved that no one has been injured, but we share the disappointment and frustration of ticket holders, many of whom are Co op members, with the continuing delay to the opening of Co-op Live and the disruption that this is causing to everyone who has been looking forward to attending events. We will be seeking a full explanation from Oak View Group (OVG), who are responsible for the building, to the obvious questions arising from this, together with a clear plan from the Co-op Live venue management team at OVG for opening the venue and postponed and future events.”
OVG run around 400 venues across the world, mainly in North America, but this is its first venture in the UK, the firm’s website promising, “synergistic opportunities in the live entertainment space globally”. OVG claims the Co-op Live arena will be “world leading” boasting their venues “go beyond the limits of what we once thought possible to deliver the very best in live entertainment.”
Harry Styles has invested in the project, in the shadow of Manchester City's Etihad stadium, the arena a joint venture with OVG and the club’s owner’s City Football Group. According to OVG, once open, the venue will generate an estimated £1.5bn for the local economy. However, after this concerning few weeks we still remain unsure when this may be and how it may have affected the public’s initial perceptions on safety and security within the venue.
Co-Op Live images credit: Co‑Op Live
