The Welsh government says it is “crucially important” for the country to build a new 15,000-capacity venue to attract more major events.
Wales’ economy minister Ken Skates said a multi-purpose arena in Cardiff would allow the country to be able to host such events as the BBC’s annual Sports Personality of the Year ceremony, as well as other major sporting and entertainment events.
Currently, Cardiff’s venue portfolio includes the 74,000-capacity Principality Stadium and the 7,000-seat Motorpoint Arena. The government said it now wants a venue in between to welcome a variety of sports and music events to the city. The city also boasts the 33,000-seat Cardiff City Stadium.
The Welsh government wants to ensure South Wales can compete with other major UK cities, such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Belfast, Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield, for major music concerts and sporting events.
Cardiff Council has labelled a new venue a “major priority,” in which Russell Goodway, cabinet member for investment and development, said: “We intend to bring forward our plans in the next few months.”
The government wants another venue in Cardiff capable of staging events similar to football’s 2017 Champions League and Ashes cricket Tests.
In addition, if Wales plans to bid to host the Commonwealth Games, the stadium would be used to host sports such as gymnastics and boxing.
“There are proposals in Cardiff,” said Skates, according to the BBC. “An arena is going to be crucially important for Cardiff in particular, but for Wales as well, capturing new and more major events.
“In the council and neighbouring authorities, that’s well recognised now. That’s a piece of work that needs to be taken forward, they know it and we are in discussions with them.”
He added: “There are large events, such as Sports Personality of the Year, which we’d love to host.
“We’d need an arena if we were to host Sports Personality. The spec that is required doesn’t exist at the moment.”
A potential location suggestion for any new arena could be Callaghan Square, near Cardiff Central railway station. The Cardiff Blues rugby region also wants to build a 15,000-seat arena as part of a £150m development of the Arms Park in Cardiff city centre.
In addition, a 5,000-capacity International Convention Centre Wales will open at Celtic Manor in Newport in 2019, while Swansea isplanning to build a 3,500-capacity arena on Oystermouth Road as part of a £500m city centre redevelopment.
“The important point to make is if there’s three facilities along the M4 corridor, they have to be complimentary and can’t be competing with each other,” Skates said.
According to the BBC, Welsh music promoter John Rostron, co-founder of Cardiff’s Swn festival, said a “first step” should be a smaller “dedicated, not-for-profit music venue” from which revenue could be reinvested back into the Welsh music industry.”
“It’d give the agents, promoters and wider music industry more confidence in a capital city that doesn’t currently have a supporting infrastructure that can develop music acts or assure audiences at that kind of level,” said Rostron.
“Cardiff has a huge gap between its one 1,500-capacity venue and the 7,000 capacity of its current Motorpoint Arena. I’d aim for an arena, but fix that gap in order to secure it can deliver.”
Pablo Janczur, director of Cardiff-based Orchard Entertainment, added: “I would support calls for a larger scale arena but as a multi-purpose venue with conferencing facilities. This could prove a real benefit by stimulating more tourism and investment.”
Image: Seth Whales
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