AO Arena unveils luxury bar and restaurant plans
Operator ASM Global is eyeing an early 2024 opening date for The Mezz, the next step in the Manchester city centre venue’s £50m redevelopment.
The premier suite, bar, and restaurant will provide visitors to the AO Arena with modern British cuisine, as well as post-show entertainment.
An effort to elevate the arena’s premium portfolio, the new food and drink outlet will also offer guests access to some of the best seats in the house.
The Mezz is the latest venture in the AO Arena’s £50m transformation, which will see the main arena bowl expanded to allow venue’s capacity increase from 21,000 to 24,000.
Upgraded concourse areas will see more revamped bars opening throughout this year and the next. The Beautiful North, an exclusive premium suite, and the Heineken Sky Lounge, a premium ticket-only bar, are among some of the venue’s new offerings already opened.
Externally, the AO Arena’s façade will be reworked to resemble a worker bee, with improvements to the flow of people between the venue and Manchester Victoria Station.
ASM first announced its intention to redevelop the arena in 2020, with US architect HOK leading on design.
Jen Mitchell, general manager at AO Arena, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be elevating AO Arena as we drive ahead to a bright future, so it’s fantastic to be able to reveal this latest addition in the works, as part of our state-of-the-art premium portfolio.”
I can’t help but feel if they’d done this expansion, say, five or ten years ago when they were RAKING it in, they wouldn’t have lost their monopoly and given birth to Co-Op Live.
By Sam Tennant
…horse, bolted?
By #GigGoer
Too little, too late!
By Digbuth O'Hooligan
Re : Sam Tennant.
I think the City of Manchester and it’s far reaching catchment will benefit from both these arenas. They will both thrive as so many acts and shows want to tour.
By Peter Chapman
It won’t last another 5 years, shame for the surrounding businesses, the new arena will be better and is more accessible by car
By Gilly
@Gilly, I’m not sure whether you have seen the supporting information relating to the expansion of the Etihad station but I very much doubt the new arena will more accessible by car. Their documentation suggested that there will be no further car parking infrastructure to be provided as part of the campus works and a very large permit holders only scheme set up to much of the wider area (including the industrial areas which is bonkers). I’m not sure how we’re going to get to the stadium to watch football matches let alone others going to the arena. The lack of public transport to the wider Manchester area is terrible and it doesn’t look like the Council are in mood to make it better.
By Aevis
“It won’t last another 5 years, shame for the surrounding businesses, the new arena will be better and is more accessible by car. May 11, 2023 at 2:31 pm. By Gilly”
From recent observations of alcohol consumption at the Arena, I’d say that the majority of the audiences certainly aren’t going to be driving there. But Manchester needs a more flexible transport timetable which takes away the hassle of very limited late trains. Who really wants to be on that last midnight train with all of the drunkards?
By Anonymous
“Externally, the AO Arena’s façade will be reworked to resemble a worker bee”
Someone got paid a lot of money for this terrible idea.
By Preston
Agree that all of this should have been done years ago when they had a monopoly . I still find it hard to see how two such huge arenas at 24000 and 23500 can be supported but they each think there is enough business to go around. It can be only good for Manchester so let battle commence!
By Anonymous
Would like to be on the hospitality suite balcony here 😉
By Balcony Warrior