Live entertainment and sports fans will see the city’s largest music venue change its name to Manchester Arena ahead of the venue’s 20th birthday.
The 21,000 capacity venue, formerly known as Phones 4U arena, has played host to the world’s most prolific performers including Beyonce, Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones and local record breaking comedians like Peter Kay.
From January 14, arena bosses hope to work with local talent and charities to commemorate the venue’s Mancunian musical heritage as part of their anniversary celebrations.
Manchester Arena General Manager, James Allen, said: “We’ve been a big part of Manchester’s economic and cultural landscape for the last two decades and it’s now time to celebrate our position within the city.
“Although we are talking to potential new sponsors, we thought the start of our 20th year was the perfect opportunity to return to our traditional name and celebrate our Mancunian heritage.”
The hash tag #WeAreManchester will be used to on social media to raise awareness of the venue’s heritage campaign that is set to kick off over the next few months.
James Allen said: “Since 1995 we’ve sold over 20 million tickets, hosted the biggest names in live entertainment and won awards around the world.
“However, most importantly, we’ve made memories for millions of live music fans which we’ll be sharing throughout the year.”
Over the years, the arena has also hosted a range of sporting events including boxing and netball at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2012 Olympic basketball warm up match between the USA and Team GB.
The venue, which attracts over one million visitors each year, has also seen international boxing legend Mike Tyson fight as well as local talents Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan.
Image courtesy of Bradford Timeline, with thanks.
