This conference segment focuses on the evolving design of stadiums and arenas as iconic landmarks, buildings that shape a city’s skyline, identity, and global image. Today’s venues must combine architectural expression and placemaking with highly sophisticated interior design, circulation, and spatial logic that serve fans, athletes, operators, and partners alike. Speakers will explore how contemporary stadium design responds to changing expectations: greater flexibility of use, premium and social seating concepts, integrated technology, sustainability by design, and the growing importance of training and performance facilities within the overall venue concept. From façade to fan journey, these sessions examine how form, function, and future-proofing come together to define the next generation of landmark sports venues.

Venue construction is shaped by complexity, risk, and live-site delivery. Across the industry, stadiums and arenas are being newly built, rebuilt, or renovated, often while remaining operational, placing high demands on procurement, phasing, safety, and coordination. Today’s projects rely on advanced materials, modular and off-site construction, and digital delivery tools such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) to improve accuracy, collaboration, and risk control. Whether extending the life of an existing venue or delivering a next-generation replacement, construction strategies increasingly focus on adaptability, space optimisation, and long-term performance across different regulatory environments.

Maximising revenue has become a core responsibility of today’s stadiums and arenas. Beyond matchday income, venues are increasingly operated as sophisticated commercial platforms designed to generate sustainable, year-round returns. This segment focuses on how sports facilities are growing income through smarter ticket sales strategies, CRM-driven pricing, and optimised revenue from concessions, merchandise, and parking. It also examines non-matchday monetisation, including concerts, corporate events, weddings, community use, and the addition of on-site or adjacent hotels as long-term revenue drivers. A key theme is the establishment of professional, in-house sales teams, equipped with the right structures, tools, and incentives to actively drive bookings, partnerships, and commercial performance while balancing capital investment with lasting financial sustainability.

Venue technology defines how modern sports facilities operate as smart venues. Inside the building, specialised technical systems form the foundation for reliability, efficiency, and long-term asset performance across stadiums and arenas. This segment focuses on the core technologies embedded within the venue fabric, including architectural and bowl lighting systems, power and energy infrastructure, high-capacity Wi-Fi and DAS networks for internal connectivity, and building-wide digital systems supporting internal information flow and wayfinding.

A central theme is scale and value: how much technology is appropriate, how systems can be integrated rather than layered, and how investments are justified through efficiency gains, energy optimisation, resilience, and lifecycle performance. Building Automation Systems (BAS), integrating smart controls for lighting, HVAC, and energy management, illustrate how venue technology can deliver measurable return on investment while supporting comfort, sustainability, and long-term operational reliability.

Sustainability in sports and entertainment venues must be pursued with authenticity and integrity, and it looks very different around the world. As a global alliance, Coliseum recognises that regional realities, economic conditions, and community expectations shape how sustainability is defined and delivered. This segment takes a holistic view, addressing both environmental and financial sustainability. Strong business models, sound policies, and controlled debt levels are essential foundations for any credible long-term strategy. Without financial resilience, environmental ambition remains superficial.

In several regions, the conversation is also evolving toward community engagement, with venues actively educating and involving fans and local communities as part of their sustainability journey. This segment explores how venues can move beyond greenwashing and “green PR” toward measurable impact, long-term value, and meaningful community connection. Sustainability is not a label or a trend: It is a strategic requirement for future-proof sports and entertainment venues.

Host cities today operate in a more competitive and selective environment, with many targeting not only mega-events but also single, high-impact sporting events across different disciplines. The focus has shifted from prestige to measurable economic, social, and legacy value. For host city venues, the priority is increasingly on existing facilities and temporary or overlay solutions rather than permanent new builds. Rights holders favour adaptable infrastructure that can meet event standards without creating long-term oversupply. Also integrated planning, transport, accommodation, safety frameworks, and citywide coordination are critical to delivering smooth and credible events. Host cities must demonstrate operational readiness and flexibility to meet the expectations of athletes, officials, media, and spectators. Event owners increasingly emphasise sustainability, shared infrastructure, and realistic legacy planning. As a result, cities are prioritising adaptation and smarter use of existing venues over new construction.

Venue operations sit at the intersection of asset protection, cost control, and long-term value creation. Stadiums and arenas require significant capital investment, followed by continuous year-round expenditure to operate, maintain, and upgrade complex facilities while meeting commercial, aesthetic, and regulatory expectations.

This segment examines how effective asset and facilities management strategies can optimise performance across the full venue lifecycle, balancing maintenance quality, operational efficiency, and profitability. Topics include structured asset management planning, the role of recognised standards such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and how certification frameworks influence operational decision-making.

The discussions also address practical operational challenges, from parking and mobility management to tailored facilities management models, exploring how customised, data-informed approaches can reduce costs, improve reliability, and protect long-term asset value.