LONDON (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Its no secret that the sports and entertainment giant Anshchutz Entertainment Group, or AEG has had its eye on London for some time now.
As their $695 million dollars remodeling job on the 02 Dome (Née The Millennium Dome) nears completion, the firm is exploring their options for other enterprises, particularly in light of the upcoming 2012 Olympic games to which London is playing host.
The dome will house some of the games, possibly basketball or handball but AEG is also pondering a bid on one of the buildings for the proposed Olympic park.
"There are a number of buildings on the Olympic Park site that would be interesting," David Campbell, chief executive of AEG Europe told Bloomberg.
AEG has been looking into expanding its presence in the UK for some time, with London topping the list of potential sites for a mega casino project they are hoping to build. The project hasn't had an easy journey through Parliament however, and is still under consideration.
Another potential project under consideration is a cruise ship terminal which would service a 1,200 person cruise line with destinations as far away as the Mediterranean, a popular destination for UK vacationers.
The 02 Dome is still AEG's primary focus in London, and Campbell has high hopes for the complex. Noting that there is a paucity of similar-sized entertainment and sports venues in the city, the company is projecting 200+ events a year there.
Dismissing concerns about accessibility, Campbell told Bloomberg that "We've sold a million tickets, and we haven't opened the doors yet. Once people do come they will find it's easier to get to than they thought and it's a more pleasant environment than they thought." – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
