The long-term future of Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, UK, is looking bright, with planning application for roof extension works approved by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
Business Travel Desk has reported that the move will mean the NEC Group will increase the venue’s capacity by 6,000 to 21,600, creating at least 200 jobs.
In response to the planning application approval, NEC Group Arenas Managing Director Guy Dunstan said: “This is great news, as now more than ever we need to look at the longevity of our business. The roof extension project is strategically important to future-proofing Resorts World Arena, ensuring we continue to attract world class talent and high-profile events for decades to come.”
With the events industry being one of most highly effected industries of the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant number of events have been rescheduled to later in the year and into 2021 and 2022. The staging of these events is crucial to Resorts World Arena and ensuring the venue can support the live entertainment industry in its return to business, in the quickest and safest way possible. This has inevitably put pressure on the Arena’s diary and time available to close the venue for the works.
Dunstan continued: “We are excited we’ll be able to still host most of the events we’ve missed over the last few months and cannot wait to play our part in what will be an historic Commonwealth Games in 2022.
“To accommodate the revised event dates and negate any potential delay to the Games, we have reviewed the project timelines and made the decision to reschedule the works until after the Games have finished.”
The plans to develop the almost 40-year-old arena will increase seating capacity by 38% to accommodate audiences of up to 21,600, and offer more premium hospitality, food and beverage and merchandise facilities.
The venue says further details of the plans will be announced in due course.
