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Auditoriums Meet

SPEAKER PREVIEW: Smiles and memories meet revenues and commercialisation

This autumn, delegates at AuditoriumsMeet 2012 will be treated to an exclusive insight into the £20.6 million transformation of Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena (NIA), with Phil Mead, Managing Director – Arenas, the NEC Group one of the latest industry leaders to be confirmed for the programme in Edinburgh.

The NIA has been a huge draw for visitors to Birmingham since it was officially opened in 1991; the flexible arena has since gained a global reputation for world-class sports, headline comedy and music, and a diverse range of crowd-pleasing live entertainment. Now it’s time to look to the future.

The modernisation of the NIA aims to take advantage of its unique location on the city’s canal side and will feature a new showcase entrance straight from Brindley Place into the arena, with large glazed views over the water and the city.

Work will get underway in late 2012 and will include improved facilities and a much greater emphasis on both the pre and post show experience. The venue will reopen at the end of 2014 as ‘The NIA, A Barclaycard Unwind Experience’.

And, at AuditoriumsMeet 2012, Phil Mead will join the programme as a guest speaker on Day Two of the Conference Programme, to share the NEC Group’s vision for the capital project.

“I hope I can offer an ‘operator’s perspective’ on arena redevelopment,” commented Mead, who also spearheaded the multi-million redevelopment of the NIA’s sister venue The LG Arena in 2007. In Edinburgh, Mead’s session ‘Smiles and memories meet revenues and commercialisation’ will explore both of the projects, and explain why the NEC Group have embarked on such redevelopments.

“I look forward to discussing our approach to the projects,” continued Mead, “as well as the commercial model behind it and how you can get capital projects off the ground without complete reliance on public funding.”

 

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About the speaker:

Phil Mead is responsible for the operation and development of the NEC Group’s arenas.

Appointed MD in 2007, Phil has more than 25 years of experience to draw upon at some of the UK’s biggest event venues, including G-MEX in Manchester and Cardiff’s International Arena.

Phil is responsible for overseeing the operation and development of the LG Arena, the NIA and national ticket agency The Ticket Factory, which sells more than 2.35million tickets a year. He has also played a part in the formation of NEC Group International, which is developing worldwide opportunities in venue management. He is also the former Chairman of the National Arenas Association.

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