AEG Ogden to manage new state-of-the-art 20,000-seat Dubai Arena, set to open in 2018

AEG Ogden, part of the world leading Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), has added to its growing network of entertainment arenas and theatres with the addition of the Dubai Arena.

Chairman and CEO, Harvey Lister said AEG Ogden would manage the new, state of the art 20,000 seat Dubai Arena when it opens in 2018 for Meraas, a Dubai-based holding company with operations and assets in the United Arab Emirates, and would immediately commence providing experienced operator input into the design of the venue.

Lister said AEG Ogden was excited to be working with Meraas to deliver an innovative world-class, NBA-standard Arena that will put Dubai on the international entertainment touring circuit and make a major contribution to the Emirate’s continued development as a major tourism destination.

Lister said:

Meraas has established itself as a key innovator in the UAE and is to be commended for strengthening Dubai’s global position through redefining industries in the property, hospitality, retail, healthcare, leisure and entertainment sectors.

Lister also advised that Dubai was strategically positioned to capitalise on acts coming out of or flying to Europe via AEG’s established network of venues in Australia and Asia.

He added:

Dubai Arena joins AEG Ogden’s growing network in the Asia Pacific region, which includes arenas in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle, and three in China, convention centres with entertainment theatre inclusions in Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Kuala Lumpur and Oman, plus the 52,000-seat Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and will be a valued addition to AEG Facilities’ family of 130 plus iconic venues worldwide.

 

It will also strengthen AEG’s position in the Middle East, where stage one of the US$1.5bn Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre opened last month, and work is proceeding on stage two, which includes a 3,200-seat theatre.

Spanning an area of about 47,000sqm and with a capacity of 20,000, Dubai Arena is set to enhance the Emirate’s leisure and entertainment offering, and become the ‘go to’ venue in the Middle East region for large scale international music concerts, sporting events such as international hockey and basketball as well as other entertainment events.

Dubai Arena will be the only all-purpose, indoor, air-conditioned arena of its size in the entire region and will boast an advanced infrastructure allowing it to accommodate mega-events.

Strategically located at CITY WALK with close proximity to the Dubai International Airport and accessible via the Dubai Metro, the new venue will be at the heart of Dubai’s latest urban lifestyle destination surrounded by a plethora of hospitality, F&B, entertainment and shopping options.

Dubai Arena is designed to have automated, malleable seats, which enables the venue to transform according to the scale of the event being held, no matter how small or big it is. It will also be able to host large scale weddings requiring extremely grand decorations and unconventional set-up, which cannot be accommodated elsewhere. The project will attract distinctive and unique events that will appeal all audiences and will allow Dubai to be included alongside other key international cities such as London, Sydney and New York in hosting major touring events.

The project management contract for the destination was awarded to DXB Entertainment PJSC who are responsible to oversee the design and construction of Dubai Arena.

About Meraas

Meraas is a Dubai-based holding company with operations and assets in the UAE. The Company has established itself as a key innovator in UAE and follows a clear mandate to strengthen Dubai’s global position. Through its portfolio of refreshingly innovative landmark concepts, Meraas aims to redefine industries across multiple sectors. Meraas has also forged collaborative relationships with key partners who will add value to its offering. The Company has launched several projects in the property, hospitality, retail, healthcare, leisure and entertainment sectors.

For more information, visit: www.meraas.com

About AEG Ogden

AEG Ogden is an Australian-based joint venture between Australian venue management interests and AEG Facilities of the United States.

AEG Ogden manages venues throughout the Asia Pacific region, including convention centres in Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Kuala Lumpur, Oman and ICC Sydney, Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane; and arenas including the Brisbane Entertainment Centre and the adjacent Sports Centre, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Allphones Arena), the Newcastle Entertainment Centre and Perth Arena.

For more information about AEG Ogden, visit: www.aegogden.com or for AEG: www.aegworldwide.com

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