London Lions sport-for-communities arena plans

Image: Copper Box Arena, Delusion23, CC BY-SA 3.0

The British professional basketball team London Lions has appointed two agencies to support with the feasibility study for the club’s proposed new arena.

‘London World’ stated that Trivandi and The Sports Consultancy Group have been confirmed as the Lead Advisors for the first phase of the arena feasibility study marking a major milestone in the Lions’ long-term ambition to develop a world-class, purpose-built indoor arena.

The London Lions are a British professional basketball team based in Stratford, East London, England (UK) and compete in the Super League Basketball, the top-level Men’s basketball competition in Great Britain.

The 6,000-capacity Copper Box Arena is a multisport venue built for the 2012 Summer Olympics located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (a sporting complex and public park) in London, England (UK).

London (UK)-based Trivandi transforms ambitious visions into unforgettable experiences for major events, venues, destinations, and sports organizations. Founded in 2013 from the success of the London 2012 Games they have grown to over 80 specialists across four global offices in London, Dubai (UAE), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and Australia delivering over 300 projects in 29 countries.

London (UK)-based The Sports Consultancy Group delivers business solutions in sport to the brands, the Host Cities, the rights holders, and the venues. The company offers rounded experience of sport, straightforward results-oriented approach to consultancy and totally uncompromising approach to professionalism.

‘London World’ further stated that the arena which intends to have a minimum capacity of 10,000 seats will become the permanent home for professional basketball in the capital providing a platform for top-tier competition while fostering grassroots development and expanding access to the sport for communities across the City.

The proposals, which were announced earlier this year, include plans to create a cutting-edge training and gameday environment for the elite athletes including the London Lions Men’s and Women’s teams. The venue would serve as a hub for youth programs, community engagement initiatives and talent development ensuring that basketball continues to grow at all levels in the capital.

Working in close collaboration with the Mayor of London’s Office, the London & Partners (the growth agency for London) and the Opportunity London (a new initiative promoting sustainable investment into real estate, regeneration and Green infrastructure across London’s boroughs and communities) the agencies will lead an in-depth strategic and commercial assessment for the new venue.

Averred Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth and Chair of London & Partners, “London is the sporting capital of the world and the Mayor and I are pleased to support the London Lions as they pursue their vision to establish a new state-of-the-art basketball facility in our City. This feasibility study is an important step in delivering the club’s proposed new arena which can provide a major hub for basketball in the capital to significantly boost our economy as we continue building a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”

The study will evaluate the location options, the delivery models and the investment frameworks and will also include a detailed economic and social impact analysis to ensure the project delivers lasting value for the Londoners.

Maintained Lenz Balan, President and head honcho, London Lions, “We are proud to partner with two of the world’s leading firms in sports infrastructure and venue strategy. This arena is about more than just basketball, it’s about building something that reflects the ambition and diversity of London. It will be a modern venue capable of hosting the most elite of basketball competition while anchoring a wider ecosystem that gives back to the community. That includes exploring a standalone basketball community center, developing a best-in-class academy and elite player pathway and finding new ways to unlock access to the indoor courts across London. We want to ensure that more young people, regardless of their background, can afford to play and dream big. We’re grateful to the Mayor’s Office and the London & Partners for their partnership in making this vision possible.”

In addition to the arena feasibility the Lions are actively exploring opportunities to develop dedicated community basketball centers across the capital which would support grassroots development, coaching education and academy training. This intends to serve as a permanent resource for the young people across London and as a cornerstone of the club’s investment in the local communities.

Pointed out Peter Griffin, Executive Director, Trivandi, “This project is a chance to create a lasting legacy in the City where Trivandi was founded – delivering not just a world-class home for basketball and major events but a catalyst for economic growth and community opportunity. We’re bringing the best of our global experience in venue development and operations to help shape a destination that drives investment, inspires the future generations and opens up access to sport and entertainment for all.”

Exulted Tom Pinnington, Director, The Sports Consultancy, “The Sports Consultancy is delighted to be working with Trivandi and the London Lions on this important initial feasibility study. Our work will refine the vision for a new multipurpose arena testing key elements of the scheme to identify the most viable and deliverable option. The output from our work will be a clear project brief, underpinned by a robust outline business case, to carry forward to the next stages of development.”

Further information on the project will be unveiled in due course.

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