The General Manager of the Co-Op Live Arena, Gary Roden, has resigned following controversy and rows surrounding the opening of the venue. Some criticisms were levied against Roden for argumentative remarks he made about grassroots music venues, suggesting that some of them were “poorly run”. He also debated that a proposed ticket levy of £1 to support these venues was “too simplistic”. The delays have been caused by the testing schedule for the arena’s power system. As a result, the earlier scheduled dates for Peter Kay to perform have been moved to 29 and 30 April.
The show featuring Rick Astley was a test gig in preparation for the arena’s reopening and before its official launch, which experienced numerous difficulties, resulting in the removal of some tickets ahead of the show to decrease the capacity. Jessica Koravos, the President of International at the venue’s operator, Oak View Group, released several statements announcing Roden’s resignation and emphasising their commitment to grassroots music.
Koravos also affirmed Oak View Group and the Co-Op Live Arena’s willingness to meet with grassroots organisations after the venue is fully operational. Meanwhile, some attendees at the event had also criticised the drink prices at the arena, with pints of beer costing a high £8.95. The launch of the Co-Op Live Arena, located opposite Manchester’s Etihad Stadium, followed a licensing dispute with the existing, 21,000 capacity AO Arena in the city but despite objections, its licence was granted last month.
Lastly, before the venue’s official launch, Roden asserted that some smaller UK venues were “poorly run” and dismissed calls for a £1 ticket levy on all gigs arena-sized and above. Mark Davyd, who is the CEO of the Music Venue Trust, countered Roden’s remarks, calling them “disrespectful and disingenuous”. Davyd also criticised the Co-Op Live Arena for stating that “they don’t believe there are problems with the UK music talent pipeline
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