Sodexo Live! unveils £1m makeover of DW Stadium in Wigan

Home to Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors, the DW Stadium now boasts modern hospitality, conference and events spaces thanks to a £1m investment from venue partner, Sodexo Live!

The upgrades reflect Sodexo Live!’s commitment to the DW Stadium and the wider Wigan community, which was cemented in an 11-year catering and hospitality agreement with the stadium in September 2021.

A notable highlight of the venue upgrades is a new sports bar renamed in honour of Wigan Athletic’s former owner, Dave Whelan. Whelan’s Bar offers hot and cold snacks, plus alcoholic favourites and a traditional English brew. On 27 July, Dave Whelan christened his namesake bar at an exclusive launch event.

The popular DW Sports fitness lounge has also been transformed into an exclusive venue equipped with state-of-the-art AV, advanced projectors, and a sophisticated sound system. Hosting up to 500 people, it benefits from its own private entrance on the ground floor.

Premium experience

The Chairman’s Lounge, which boasts a birds-eye view of all the action, has been renovated and now offers a premium experience for up to 100 people on matchdays and beyond. Guests looking for pitch-side views will also love the transformed Phoenix Lounge.

Along with the extensive upgrades, Sodexo Live! Executive Head Chef, Roger Varley, has created tantalising new premium menus and is available to create bespoke offers too.

ALSD International is being hosted at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this September 19-20. With a focus on optimising revenue through New Builds, Renovations & Service Expansions, Architecture & Design, Fan Experience, Hospitality & Interiors, Premium Seating, Sustainability and Technology are some of the key pillars to be discussed by a range of industry professionals.

Rebecca Kane Burton, CEO Sodexo Live! UK and Ireland, said:

With Wigan Athletic back where they deserve to be in the Championship, it’s only fitting that Latics fans will have more reason to cheer when they return to the DW Stadium this season.

We’re thrilled to be partnering with the DW Stadium and believe that together we can offer unrivalled service for Latics and Warriors fans and help drive the use of the venue on non-matchdays, creating a true destination venue for conferences, events and celebrations, whilst nurturing local food and hospitality talent in the Wigan area.

Commenting on the opening of Whelan’s Sports Bar and the investment into facilities at the DW Stadium, Wigan Athletic Chief Executive, Malachy Brannigan, said:

Firstly, it was fantastic to welcome Mr. Whelan to the opening of Whelan’s Sports Bar to formally open the facility.

It is important that the continued respect for what Mr. Whelan did here at Wigan Athletic is prominent. Clearly through the statue and Whelan’s Sports Bar, the high esteem in which Mr. Whelan is held here will be evident to all visitors to the Stadium.

We are aware that Rigaletto’s was named after Mr. Whelan’s father, whose stage name was Tony Rigaletto when he performed as a singer and entertainer, so again we wanted the name to remain with the Whelan family.

Working with our partners at Sodexo Live!, there has been significant investment into the facilities at the Stadium as we continually look to improve the matchday and non-matchday experience. We think Whelan’s Sports Bar will be a really popular offering for supporters, so we encourage our fans to come down, have a look at the bar and try the food and drink in the next few weeks and at our upcoming fixtures.

From football stadiums to basketball arenas and racecourses, Sodexo Live! is a global stadium and hospitality expert.