Asia

Plans outlined for first-of-its-kind arena at Bengaluru airport

A consortium comprising Phase 1 Experiences and Embassy Group has announced ambitious plans to create a new experiential and entertainment destination at Bengaluru International Airport in India.

Live Nation will serve as a consultant to the consortium, with music entrepreneur and festival curator Nikhil Chinapa to act as strategy and communications lead.

The consortium has been formed by Phase 1 Experiences founder and managing director Oum Pradutt and Embassy Group chief operating officer Aditya Virwani.

It is hoped the venue will host concerts, sports events and conferences, with a supersized dome planned that will host 9,000 fans. A separate dome that can seat 2,000 people will host large-scale corporate events, while an expansive outdoor space is also planned to stage open-air events.

The consortium will work with the airport to promote its vision of a sustainable and responsible corporation. It is hoped the project, which will cost around Rs1bn (£10.8m/€12.7m/$14m), will come to fruition within 18 months to two years.

Rao Munukutla, chief real estate officer at Bengaluru International Airport Limited, said: “BIAL is pleased to announce the partnership with two market leaders in their respective areas of expertise.

“This is a significant stepping stone towards making the BLR Airport a hub of entertainment, not just for Bengaluru, but for the entire country. This arena would be a first-of-its-kind to be created at an airport and the first multi-purpose venue in India to host events and other activity. This brings to life a new facet in BIAL’s commitment to offer unparalleled services to passengers and visitors alike.”

Phase 1 Experiences has 24 years of experience in creating large-scale events both in India and around the world, while Embassy Group is India’s leading real-estate and urban infrastructure developer with experience in commercial, residential, industrial, warehousing, hospitality, education and retail spaces.

Pradutt said: “Our vision is to radically enhance the live experience quotient of the Indian consumer. Just like multiplexes transformed the cinematic experience and 5G is about to reshape the digital experience, we aim to take the live entertainment experience to the next level in India.

“The venue will be at par with iconic international concert arenas such as New York’s Madison Square Garden and London’s O2 Arena, enabling us to import the biggest shows and best of global talent to India. This will attract audiences and fans from not just across India, but across South Asia, and establish Bengaluru’s position as a live concert and entertainment capital – globally.”

Live Nation will manage the mobilisation of the venue and the programming of international artists.

Paul Antonio, president of Live Nation in Asia and the Middle-East, said: “We’re pleased to be able to contribute to the establishment of this world-class venue, both in terms of supporting the mobilisation and subsequently the programming of international artists. The venue will be a state-of-the-art, must-play arena and we look forward to bringing our touring artists and live events here as soon as the doors open, and for years to come.”

Image: Business Wire India