Welcome inside Manchester’s £365million cauldron which is bidding to become the new home of boxing and UFC in the UK.
The Co-op Live arena will be the largest indoor entertainment venue in the UK when it opens on April 23, boasting 23,5000 seats.
It is funded by City Football Group and Oak View Group and will be a short walk from Manchester City’s Etihad Arena.
Manchester United fan Harry Styles is also dipping into his pockets to fund the venue, which will be a music-first destination but could seek to rival the 02 Arena for the world’s biggest bouts.
Greater Manchester has produced some of the best boxing talents around, including Tyson Fury, Amir Khan, and Ricky Hatton.
The Co-op Live arena could rival The 02 Arena for the world’s biggest boxing and UFC events
The £350M venue will boast a whopping 23,500 seats and will hold 120 events per year
City Football Group are partial investors and the arena will be built on the Etihad Campus near their stadium
The Co-op Live Arena will surpass the AO Arena’s capacity of 21,000, meaning Manchester will have the two biggest indoor venus in the UK.
Styles said: ‘I am incredibly proud to be partnering with OVG on their plans for Co-op Live.
‘Manchester is an incredible city, filled with incredible people and I couldn’t be happier being involved in this project. It very much feels like coming home.
‘I was drawn to this project on every level, from the opportunities it brings, to the contribution it will make to the city, and most importantly, that it will allow even more live music to thrive in Manchester.’
The former One Direction singer was spotted at Kenilworth Road for Manchester United’s 2-1 win against Luton on Sunday but evaded reporters after the game.
The Co-op Live arena’s opening comes amid Sir Jim Ratcliffe £2billion dream to transform Old Trafford into a 90,000-capacity Wembley of the North using public funds.
Any approach to central government could be amid Westminster’s levelling up pledges. However, government sources have told Mail Sport that a simple injection of taxpayer cash to a Premier League giant is highly unlikely.
Instead, assistance could come in the form of tax breaks and relaxed planning regulations with the potential new venue part of a vast redevelopment zone stretching down to the Manchester Ship Canal and linking Old Trafford with BBC HQ MediaCity.
Harry Styles has also pumped some of his fortune into the project as the venue will mostly host music
Greater Manchester has produced many great fighters over the years, including Amir Khan
Sir Jim Ratcliffe dreams of a £2billion transformed Old Trafford – the’ Wembley of the North’
The Co-op Live arena will boast 32 bars and restaurants and will have a unique bowl design
For the Co-op Live arena, Peter Kay has been announced as the opening act, while Olivia Rodrigo, Liam Gallagher and Take That will follow with concerts.
It is anticipated to hold 120 events per year, 100 of which will be music-themed.
The venue boasts a unique bowl design and along with the arena will include 32 bars and restaurants.