THE Liverpool ECHO Arena will enable the city to compete with the exclusive French resort of Cannes, Britain’s tourism minister predicted.
Shaun Woodward MP made the bold claim on a tour of the waterfront venue yesterday, declaring: “It’s a knock-out.”
Mr Woodward, the MP for St Helens South, will also press the arena’s case for hosting a Labour party conference, saying: “They will find it difficult to shut me up about it.”
The 10,600-seater concert venue and 1,350-person conference centre at Kings Dock are just six months away from opening at the start of Capital of Culture year.
Mr Woodward was particularly excited about its meeting facilities, saying they will let Liverpool compete internationally.
He said: “The quality of this venue will make it one of the best in Europe.
“If you are organising a conference or major event, this will be top of your list.
“Places like Cannes have had to adapt to modern demands. Here, the designers have shown vision and foresight and Capital of Culture will be the catalyst for a rush of interest.
“They have not just thought about the revenue the arena will create. They have thought about the needs of the conference organisers, and put excellent facilities like two hotels nearby.
“If you want a world-class venue, purpose-built for the 21st century in an historic location, it is hard to think of anywhere better than this.”
Bob Prattey, the arena’s chief executive, said he has now taken 83 bookings from artists and organisations wanting to visit Liverpool.
He said: “We are much further ahead than we expected, and some are booking two or three years in advance.
“That is a huge vote of confidence because people often sit back and see how a new venue goes .
“We are speaking to the organisers of the various political party conferences and | want to get them early doors, because of the profile that comes with them.”
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