LONDON (VIP NEWS) — Sheffield Arena is to be run by in-house management company Sheffield International Venues (SIV), replacing Live Nation in a cost-cutting move.
Live Nation has operated the 13,000-capacity venue for a number of years on behalf of SIV, which already manages venues such as Sheffield City Hall and Scarborough Spa.
"We have had an excellent relationship with Live Nation. They have been a top class management organization for the venue, delivering a great program of events,” said SIV CEO Steve Brailey.
"SCT is under continued pressure to reduce the subsidy it receives from Sheffield City Council and we are looking to maximize the return from all our commercial activities. All profits in SIV are used by SCT to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Sheffield.
"We have an experienced management team and the arena will compliment other venues such as Sheffield City Hall. All employees at the arena will transfer to SIV and we will create a small number of additional jobs in Sheffield through transferring central admin from Live Nation offices back into Sheffield.”
Paul Latham, chief operating officer for Live Nation UK, added: "I was in the original team that pitched to win the tender to operate the Sheffield Arena in the late 1990`s so it is both personally and professionally disappointing that we will no longer be managing this great facility.
"That said we have had a good working relationship with the team at SIV and we fully understand the financial strictures they continue to have to work under. Live Nation leave behind a legacy of fabulous events that can only be staged, and managed, by the superlative team that have been at the heart of Sheffield Arena for many years."
One Direction, Mumford & Sons and The Prodigy are among upcoming concerts at the arena, which is currently looking for a new naming-rights partner after its five-year agreement with Motorpoint came to an end earlier this year.