FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA (November 12, 2020) - ASM Global, the world’s leading venue management and services company, has been selected to operate an all-new sports and entertainment campus situated on the Newcastle Gateshead waterfront at Gateshead Quays in the United Kingdom. Gateshead Council’s planning committee has approved plans for the development of the $340M arena-led revitalization project which is expected to create more than 2,000 new jobs in the region, and deliver a $75m-plus annual boost to the local economy.
The project will include a 12,500 capacity, 300,000 sq-ft world-class arena, purpose-built conference and exhibition centre with more 75,000 sq-ft of flexible event space, restaurants, a dual-branded hotel and large outdoor performance spaces. The complex will host first-class entertainment and sports, international conferences, meetings and exhibitions, as well as festivals and cultural events, attracting more than 338,000 additional visitors to the region each year.
“This ambitious and transformational development will create a genuinely unique events campus with an iconic waterfront location,” said Tom Lynch, Director of Business Development, Europe for ASM Global. “ASM Global has enjoyed over 25 years of success in the North East and we look forward to leveraging our global and local partnerships with leading entertainment, sports, corporate, convention and exhibition event producers, to cement NewcastleGateshead’s reputation as a sought-after business, leisure and cultural destination.”
The plans were submitted by Gateshead Council’s development partner Ask:PATRIZIA, who have appointed Sir Robert McAlpine to build the 54,500 sqm site, designed by internationally renowned HOK Architects. Site-enabling work will start before the end of the year with construction expected to commence in March 2021. The new complex is slated to open in 2023. An announcement on the hotel operator is expected to be made in the coming weeks.
Commenting on the impact that the project will have on the region, Councillor Martin Gannon, Gateshead Council Leader said: "We’ve wanted to revitalize this key site for a long time. Our long-term aspiration has always been to bring internationally recognizable facilities of this scale to not just Gateshead but the entire region. This project is transformational, and today’s decision signals confidence in the North East. Newcastle Gateshead Quays will be a global leader in entertainment, leisure, and hospitality, but most importantly it is about creating new employment and training opportunities for thousands at a time when they are badly needed. Despite the current challenges, we need to remember the worth of the events industry. We look forward to opening the venue late 2023."
Speaking on behalf of the Ask:PATRIZIA partnership, John Hughes, managing director of Ask Real Estate said: “We have worked closely with the Council and the wider stakeholders to ensure this regeneration scheme delivers maximum benefit to the wider region and will put this iconic waterfront on the map internationally. We have brought together a world-class team of designers, architects and operators to deliver this scheme which will be one of Europe’s key cultural locations. We look forward to now starting construction work and bringing these superb public facilities to life. The arena, hotel and conference centre completes this iconic waterfront location and will not only create jobs, but provides the people of NewcastleGateshead with an exciting new leisure destination and a state-of-the-art music venue where they can see some of the world’s greatest bands perform right on their doorstep.”
Dan Williams, Head of Development, UK and Ireland PATRIZIA added: “The scheme is designed with biodiversity and sustainability at its core and we have focussed on the creation of superb outdoor spaces as well as delivering the new buildings and associated infrastructure. This will be especially important as we continue to deal with the legacy of COVID and the increased need for well-designed outdoor spaces and walkways.”
The complex includes elevated areas with panoramic views across the River Tyne and 40 new seating areas, as well as cycle provision across the site and capacity for electric vehicle charging points within the Council’s new multi-story car park. It will also connect directly to Gateshead’s district energy network.
Award-winning global architect, HOK, has designed the overall masterplan for the site, conference and exhibition centre and arena while AHR Architects are designing the state-of-the-art hotel. The project team also includes: Project Manager and Contract Administrator, Legends International; Lichfields, Planning Consultants; Landscape Architects, Planit:IE; Gardiner and Theobald, QS; ARUP, structural engineers/ M&E and Vectos for transport planning.
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NOTES
‣“Ask:PATRIZIA” is a joint venture between Ask Real Estate Limited and PATRIZIA AG, the pan-European real estate investment partner, for the development of Gateshead Quayside.
‣The site for the new waterfront complex at NewcastleGateshead Quays is being hailed as one, if not the most, truly exciting conference and events settings in the UK.
‣Located directly opposite the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and at the heart of Newcastle Gateshead Quayside, the complex will stand shoulder to shoulder with the iconic Sage Gateshead and BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art whilst being minutes from Newcastle City Centre.
‣The site is well supported by transport links with regional, national and international connectivity through Newcastle Central Station and Newcastle International Airport.
‣The complex will be operated by renowned venue management group ASM Global and designed by leading architect firm HOK.
‣It’s expected to add over 1,000 jobs and £60 million GVA per annum to the regional economy and is unique in the fact that it benefits from the ability to connect directly to a low carbon district energy network on site.
ASM Global
ASM Global is the world's leading provider of innovative venue services and live experiences. The company was formed by the combination of AEG Facilities and SMG, global leaders in venue and event strategy and management. The company's elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 325 of the world's most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage, and Sydney to Stockholm, its venues connect people through the unique power of live experiences. ASM Global's diverse portfolio of clients benefit from the company's depth of resources and unparalleled experience, expertise and creative problem-solving. Each day, the company's 61,000 passionate employees around the world deliver locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to deliver maximum results for venue owners and amazing experiences for guests. By consistently looking for new ways to envision, innovate and empower the spaces and places that bring people together, ASM Global elevates the human spirit while delivering the highest value for all stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com.
Gateshead Council
Gateshead, perched on the south bank of the River Tyne in the north east of England, is a town renowned for its innovation and industry. An area once home to more traditional heavy engineering, manufacturing, glass and chemical industries, recent years have seen Gateshead pouring its resources into an ever-burgeoning and successful digital and high-tech sector. With four world-class universities on our doorstep, our growth has been realised with the help of a growing, capable and highly-skilled local workforce, enabling us to become a leading location for design, innovation and digital technology in the north. We also have an established international cultural presence; Gateshead is the home of Anthony Gormley’s iconic Angel of the North, as well as one of the most important contemporary art galleries in Europe, BALTIC: Centre for Contemporary Art and one of the world’s finest music centres, Sage Gateshead.
Gateshead is a town transformed, yet that transformation is far from complete. There are abundant investment and development opportunities here, each one offering enviable connectivity with local population centres, the UK’s capital and international destinations. Combined with our unmatched quality of life in the north of England – The Guardian recently ranked NewcastleGateshead THE best place to live in the UK – Gateshead has a great deal to offer.
Ask Real Estate Limited
Established in 2000, Ask has built a reputation for being a leader in multi-partner developments, featuring some of the most creative and bold concepts in regeneration, enjoying outstanding working relationships with both the public and private sector. The Manchester-based company now boasts a portfolio of 20 separate projects, comprising over 3 million sq ft of floorspace and generating an end value of £800 million. Recently completed is 100 Embankment, the second of two phases of Grade A BREEAM Excellent commercial offices creating a new civic centre for Salford. The company’s flagship scheme at First Street in Manchester City Centre is continuing to expand with the next phase of development scheduled to be on site in early 2020. While Ask is proud of its rich heritage in Manchester and the North West, it has recently expanded into other regions having been chosen by Gateshead Council to partner with them on the delivery of a £260 million arena-led scheme on the River Tyne.
PATRIZIA AG
PATRIZIA AG has been active as an investment manager in the real estate market across Europe for more than 35 years. PATRIZIA’s activities include the acquisition, management, repositioning and disposal of residential and commercial real estate through its best-in-class local network in all key markets. As a global partner for pan-European real estate investment, PATRIZIA operates as a trusted and independent business partner of large institutional, (semi-)professional and private investors in all major European countries. PATRIZIA manages more than EUR 44 billion of real estate and infrastructure assets, primarily as an investment manager for insurance companies, pension fund institutions, sovereign funds, savings and cooperative banks. PATRIZIA is committed to responsible investments and positive social impact. The PATRIZIA Children Foundation has helped over 200,000 children in need worldwide for over 20 years, giving them access to education and greater opportunities to lead better lives. For further information, please visit: www.patrizia.ag.
Sir Robert McAlpine
Sir Robert McAlpine is a family-owned, building and civil engineering company operating across the UK. In 2019, we celebrated our 150th anniversary. We are honoured to have worked on some of Britain’s most iconic buildings and projects. The values at the heart of our operations include a commitment to the highest standards of safety, quality, engineering excellence, sustainability, and an unswerving focus on the needs and aspirations of our clients. Our aim is to make a positive impact on the communities and the environment in which we operate. We boldly aspire to become the best place to work, welcoming a diversity of talent to our inclusive family culture, as we proudly build Britain’s future heritage.
HOK
With offices around the globe, HOK designs buildings and spaces that respond to the needs of people and the environment. HOK designers are rooted in technical excellence, driven by imagination and focused on a solitary goal: to deliver solutions that inspire clients and communities.’ HOK’s London Sports and Entrainment design projects include Valencia Basketball Arena and Abu Dhabi Etihad Arena.