New Indoor Arena A Step Closer For Swansea City Centre

More world class musicians, comedians and touring shows than ever before could soon be on the way to Swansea. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council is now advertising for an indoor arena operator as plans to regenerate the St David’s development site gather pace. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council has appointed Rivington Land to manage the regeneration of the site. A 3,000 to 3,500 capacity indoor arena set within a new, landscaped space on land south of Oystermouth Road is among their proposals. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The move to advertise for an indoor arena operator follows talks between Rivington Land, the council and specialist arena consultants IPW. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “Many thousands of people in Swansea will no doubt be watching Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor in their homes on Saturday evenings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The new indoor arena being planned will be able to accommodate touring shows from these programmes, as well as some of the world’s most popular musicians and comedians, while also providing a top class venue for conferences and exhibitions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re lucky to have the Grand Theatre and the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, but the new arena would add to the entertainment offer already available by providing a venue that’s in-between those two attractions in terms of size and capacity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We said when we launched the winning ideas for the St David’s development site back in January that we’re determined to deliver these exciting plans for the benefit of Swansea residents. The progress that’s been made since the start of the year shows how seriously we’re taking that commitment.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Nick Russell, Director at IPW, said: “We have had discussions with a number of leading arena venue operators. Both we and they are very excited about bringing this venue to the heart of the city, where the economic impact will be at a maximum. The successes of our schemes around the country and the world show how significant the venue can be for residents, business and tourism in the city.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

IPW’s other projects include the fd Arena in Leeds, the Royal Arena in Copenhagen and the Singapore Sports Hub, as well as multi-use conference, exhibition and entertainment venues in Liverpool, York and Hull. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Survey work has also been carried out on the St David’s development site over the last week to help the design team prepare an outline planning application set for submission in March, 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other winning ideas for the site include a café and restaurant quarter, a state-of-the-art cinema and an extension of the city’s shopping circuit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Stewart said: “The regeneration of the St David’s site will help deliver the kind of thriving city centre residents, businesses and visitors deserve.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​