The Oak View Group’s (OVG’s) Co-op Live, the United Kingdom’s largest live entertainment arena, has announced that comedian Peter Kay will open the Manchester venue in April.
‘Access All Areas’ stated that Kay, who is from Greater Manchester, will perform at the 23,500-seat arena on April 23rd as part of his current record-breaking tour.
The Oak View Group, LLC is an American professional sports and commercial real estate company based in Denver. It manages several sports venues, including the 18,100-capacity Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, which was constructed under the company’s supervision.
The 23,500-capacity Co-op Live is an indoor arena currently under construction in Manchester, England (UK). Due to open in April 2024, it is planned to have the largest maximum capacity of any indoor arena in the United Kingdom, greater than the existing 21,000-capacity Manchester Arena, which is less than two miles away.
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, actor, writer, and Director. He has written, produced, directed, and acted in several television and film projects, and has written three books. Born and brought up in Farnworth (UK), Kay studied media performance at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester (UK).
Peter Kay’s current record-breaking ‘Better Late Than Never’ tour is his first live stand-up tour since 2010. The tour is scheduled to run until July 2025, with extra dates added through 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Observed Gary Roden, Co-op Live Executive Director and General Manager, “When you think of Manchester, it’s hard not to think of Peter Kay. He embodies what this City is about, and to have him headlining Co-op Live is tremendously exciting. We’re creating an arena that is truly part of the community around it, and having Peter as our opening act is a perfect reminder of that.”
‘Access All Areas’ further stated that aiming to become Europe’s most sustainable arena, Co-op Live will be 100 percent electric, include rainwater recycling technology and operates with reusable cups to significantly reduce plastic usage across the site.
The venue’s ‘smart bowl’ design is aimed to create an intimate environment for the attendees. The arena on Manchester’s Etihad Campus is a joint venture between the OVG and the City Football Group.
The Etihad Campus is an area of Sportcity, Manchester (UK) which is mostly owned and operated by the Premier League team Manchester City F.C. The campus includes the Man City’s digs – the 53,400-capacity Etihad Stadium, the City Football Academy training facility and the club world headquarters, and undeveloped land adjacent to both of these facilities.
Manchester (UK)-based the City Football Group Limited is a holding company that administers the association football clubs. The group is owned by three organizations, of which 81 percent is majority-owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, 18 percent by the American firm Silver Lake and one percent by the Chinese firms China Media Capital and CITIC Capital.
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