Düsseldorf-based venue operator D.LIVE has appointed Maximilian Arntz as General Manager (GM) of the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany, effective September 1st, 2026.
Operational Responsibility
‘vip-booking.com’ stated that Maximilian Arntz takes over operational responsibility of the Merkur Spiel-Arena, one of the city’s major sports and entertainment venues.
D.LIVE is the largest centrally managed live entertainment and event venue operator in Düsseldorf, Germany. Founded as a Municipal subsidiary the company oversees the operations, booking and production management for the major sports and entertainment spaces across the city.
The 54,600-seat Merkur Spiel-Arena, previously known as the Esprit Arena, the LTU Arena, and also called the Düsseldorf Arena, is a retractable roof football stadium in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The Merkur Spiel-Arena hosts major concerts, sporting events and other large-scale productions in Düsseldorf.
Extensive Experience
‘vip-booking.com’ further stated that he brings extensive experience in event and stadium management having spent 15 years in event management at Kölner Sportstätten GmbH. Arntz joined D.LIVE in October 2025 at the 15,151-seat PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf where he most recently served as the Deputy General Manager (DGM) and represented the venue’s General Manager on operational matters.
Kölner Sportstätten GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the City of Cologne (Germany) founded in 1958. It owns and operates numerous sports facilities in Cologne. The company’s headquarters are located in the East Stand of the 50,000-capacity RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne. It was founded to operate the sports hall and the ice and swimming stadium. Among other things it organized the Cologne Six-Day Race from 1958 to 1999.
Fit-for-role
Hendrik Hußmann, COO Venues, D.LIVE, said Arntz’s background in stadium and event management, combined with his experience within D.LIVE, made him well-suited to lead the arena.
High-quality Experience
Maximilian Arntz said he plans to work with the venue team to further develop operations at the Merkur Spiel-Arena and deliver a high-quality experience for the promoters, the event organizers and the visitors.
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