The troubled launch of Co-op Live, the UK's biggest entertainment arena, has hit further difficulties with GM Gary Roden he stepped down from his role just days before the venue's already delayed grand opening.
Roden's departure was announced late on Thursday afternoon (April 25) UK time Jessica Koravos, chairman of Oak View Group (OVG) International. “Gary Roden has decided to resign,” Koravos said in a statement. He went on to thank the outgoing executive for his “help in bringing the UK's newest arena to live entertainment fans” and wished him “all the best for the future”.
Roden's replacement as interim GM is Rebecca Kane Barton, who ran the UK's highest-grossing venue, London's The O2 Arena, from 2012 to 2016 before serving as CEO of LW Theatres. Barton is taking over Co-op Live effective immediately, Koravos said.
The leadership change at Co-op Live follows a hectic week at the 23,500-capacity venue, which was originally due to open on Tuesday (April 23) with the first of two back-to-back shows by British comedian Peter Kay.
Those plans were shelved after a raucous preview show at the Manchester Arena 48 hours ago headlined by Rick Astley saw the Co-op Live reduced to capacity, resulting in a large number of fan tickets being canceled at short notice as the place was not ready.
Two days later, Co-op Live announced that Kay's inaugural shows had been rescheduled for Monday (April 29) and Tuesday (April 30) to give operators “the extra time we need to continue testing” the infrastructure and the building's power supply, according to a representative of the site.
At the time of publication, Co-op Live representatives had not responded to inquiries from Advertising sign asking if Kay's two shows were still going ahead next week – or if a 10,000-capacity trial gig by The Black Keys scheduled for Saturday (April 27) was still going ahead.
Koravos' statement doesn't mention any upcoming events, saying simply, “We're focused on opening Co-op Live.”
Set to be the UK's largest and most sustainable arena, Co-op Live is the first major project outside the United States by Oak View Group (OVG), the global management and development giant based in Denver, co-founded in 2015 by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff. (Harry Stiles, who grew up in the small Cheshire village of Holmes Chapel, about 30 miles outside Manchester, is an investor in the project and consulted on aspects of the site's design).
Before his sudden and unexpected departure on Thursday, Roden had sparked outrage from UK trade body The Music Venue Trust for comments he made in a BBC interview in which he was reported to have said that some small grassroots venues were underperforming and that for a £1 ticket from each arena ticket to support pubs and clubs was “very simplistic”.
Referring to those comments, Koravos said that “neither Co-op Live nor Oak View Group share the sentiment expressed by former Co-op Live CEO Gary Roden regarding the grassroots industry.”
Koravos went on to say that the venue remains “committed to grassroots music in Manchester and beyond” and will donate over £1 million a year to good causes through the Co-op Foundation.
“Oak View Group and Co-op Live remain happy to meet with grassroots organizations when the venue is fully operational,” Koravos' statement concluded.
Artists confirmed to perform at the venue this year include the Eagles, Take That, Liam Gallagher, Olivia Rodrigo, Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi, Slipknot, Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam, Justin Timberlake, Noah Kahan and Megan Thee Stallion.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/business/touring/co-op-live-arena-gm-resigns-before-u-k-venue-opening-1235666851/
