So it seems certain that Leeds will get an Arena.<\/p>\n
An\u00a0important\u00a0gap in our cultural birthright (the right to see middle-sized events that are not big enough for large stadiums but too big for 3000 seater venues, without having to travel 40 miles) will be plugged.<\/p>\n
The city will have an ‘Arena sized’ ‘economic’ and ‘cultural’ engine like most other large northern cities. \u00a0We will no longer be different. \u00a0We will have ‘caught up’. Good for us! \u00a0The timing is interesting. \u00a0Leeds seems to be getting dangerously late into the ‘large events’ market.<\/p>\n
Never again will the cry be heard ‘I have to leave Leeds for a city with an Arena’. \u00a0Another hole through which\u00a0Leeds\u00a0talent escapes will be forever filled. \u00a0Currently we lose too much talent to the south and west because of the ease with which one can take in a James Blunt gig in those places.<\/p>\n
We want Leeds to develop an identity? \u00a0Let’s give it an\u00a0iconic\u00a0arena! \u00a0 Perhaps one that changes colour? A place where we can go and view ‘talent’ when it\u00a0briefly\u00a0visits our city\u00a0because\u00a0of the economic\u00a0upsides\u00a0on offer. \u00a0Now THERE is a plan.<\/p>\n
But perhaps I am pre-judging. \u00a0Perhaps the\u00a0Arena\u00a0will\u00a0have coherent and resourced plans to provide Leeds with an affordable showcase for its own talent as well. \u00a0Perhaps it will have a meaningful programme of community\u00a0engagement. \u00a0Perhaps it will become an asset for all of the city and not just those parts that can afford to pay?<\/p>\n
I am not sure quite what the funding cocktail is for the latest plans for the arena. \u00a0Back in May it was just shy of \u00a310m of Govt money in a \u00a355m project<\/a>. \u00a0 I am not sure how much the council is putting in the pot. Or how much\u00a0will\u00a0come from private investors. \u00a0I can’t find much about it on the web. \u00a0But it seems now that the project has become an \u00a380m investment<\/a>. [Just been told that the Yorkshire Post is today running a story that says all \u00a380m is coming from public sector purse. \u00a0\u00a370m from Leeds City Council, \u00a310m from Treasury].<\/p>\n That is a lot of investment. \u00a0And it\u00a0will\u00a0demand a return. \u00a0Clearly\u00a0the investors\u00a0believe\u00a0they will see real financial gains from their investments. \u00a0They plan to\u00a0be beneficiaries of the project. \u00a0And the public sector will rub its hands with glee at the\u00a0increased\u00a0GVA in the city. \u00a0And we can always rely on ‘trickle down<\/a>‘ to ensure that we will all benefit from the redistribution of wealth that the new\u00a0Arena\u00a0will trigger. \u00a0Can’t we? \u00a0It is a part of an economic development\u00a0strategy\u00a0that says we can spend our way to a better future.<\/p>\n The developers, planners, architects and builders too will surely gain. \u00a0It is their raison d’etre to profit from this sort of project.<\/p>\n And for a couple of years we will create a few hundred jobs for builders, surveyors and other trades while the Arena is built. \u00a0And once it is in place there will no doubt be opportunities in Arena Management,\u00a0retail\u00a0and box-office.<\/p>\n And there\u00a0will\u00a0be a supply chain too who will benefit, Promoters, record labels and their artists, Marketing and Branding agencies, printers and franchise holders, maintenance workers and so on.<\/p>\n But it will not be a major employer in the city. \u00a0And most of the long terms jobs available to locals will be low skill and low wage, stewarding, ticketing, concierge and retail.<\/p>\n Of course it will be a major economic player. It has to be. \u00a0It will have to suck up hundreds of thousands of pounds every week in ticket sales. \u00a0It will have to be branded and hyped. \u00a0My vote would be for ‘The Marks and Spencer’\u00a0Arena\u00a0to reflect Leeds noble\u00a0retail\u00a0heritage. \u00a0Hundreds of thousands of pounds that, yes, will pay wage bills, will pay for a supply chain and will provide a return to investors and managers. \u00a0It will be fascinating to see how much of the cash hoovered up by the Arena will actually be retained in the city. \u00a0My guess is that much of it\u00a0will\u00a0leave the Leeds economy.<\/p>\n The SMG group<\/a> have the gig to manage the arena (they also manage the MEN Arena and many others all over Europe). \u00a0It\u00a0will\u00a0be fascinating to see the kind of programme they can put together and the interest that they show in engaging with local developing talent.<\/p>\n And what will the impact of the new\u00a0Arena\u00a0be on other venues? \u00a0Well\u00a0clearly\u00a0Sheffield\u00a0and Harrogate\u00a0believe\u00a0they will feel the pinch. \u00a0Although Manchester seems quietly\u00a0confident\u00a0that their suite of arenas will remain untroubled by the new kid on the block. \u00a0But what about other Leeds venues? \u00a0Any way that The Academy<\/a>, The Cockpit<\/a>, The Refectory<\/a>, The Brudenel<\/a>l etc will benefit? \u00a0I suspect that the\u00a0Academy\u00a0may lose market share to the Arena. \u00a0But most of the other venues serve very different audiences and I remain optimistic that they will be\u00a0relatively\u00a0untroubled by the Arena. \u00a0But will there be any upsides for other Leeds venues?<\/p>\n I\u00a0think\u00a0it is interesting that the Arena Showreel<\/a> chooses to\u00a0walk\u00a0you through a boxing promotion. \u00a0And it is very strange to see a boxing ring with an audience on just three sides! \u00a0 That is a brave design feature. \u00a0A three sided arena. \u00a0More intimate perhaps. \u00a0Certainly different. \u00a0But will the large shows designed for four sided arenas come to it? \u00a0I am\u00a0thinking\u00a0Monster Trucks<\/a>, WWE <\/a>and the like?<\/p>\n I guess we can anticipate boxing, comedy, pop, rock, classical, opera, fashion and many more event genres using the Arena. \u00a0 And I would be interested to see how the\u00a0Arena\u00a0will actually benefit each of those circuits that are already embedded in the local economy. \u00a0Will having a large boxing venue drive a renaissance in Leeds Boxing? \u00a0Ditto opera, comedy, fashion and so on. Will the dream of playing a Leeds Arena provide additional drive and ambition in the city? \u00a0Or will the Arena take market share from\u00a0these\u00a0sectors leaving many of the incumbents struggling further. \u00a0Will ‘Arena Opera’ coming to the city be a boon for Opera North or a threat?<\/p>\n What will the impact of a development like the\u00a0Arena\u00a0be on ‘fairness’ in the city. \u00a0On social justice? \u00a0On the inequalities in\u00a0wealth\u00a0and health that exist in our city? \u00a0Will it make Leeds a more equitable city? \u00a0Or will it be an asset for those with disposable income that\u00a0will\u00a0only serve to widen the gap?<\/p>\n Will it provide a boom in the production of ‘culture’ in the city or in consumption of culture being sold to the city?<\/p>\n What will the impact be of pulling the centre of the city further north? \u00a0How will it impact on land values and uses? \u00a0Will local estates become more, or less desirable places to live in the shadow of the Arena? \u00a0What will the impact be on traffic flows? \u00a0What will those who arrive by train and\u00a0walk\u00a0up to the Arena make of their engagement with our city. \u00a0No doubt the city centre bars will find them to be yet another lucrative market to target. \u00a0I wonder just where the touts and the merchandise vendors will set up their pitches?<\/p>\n Of course the\u00a0Arena\u00a0will be a mixed blessing. \u00a0There will be winners and losers.<\/p>\n My best guess is that most of the winners will be in the\u00a0business\u00a0community and those with significant disposable income. \u00a0And the losers will be\u00a0those\u00a0for whom a \u00a310m public investment may have been used to provide well considered and long term processes of community based economic development. \u00a0Providing\u00a0community groups and local residents with the resources that they need to build their own economies, cultures and communities.<\/p>\n I am not against the\u00a0Arena. \u00a0But neither am I for it. \u00a0What I am against is the continuing massive investment in the built infrastructure in the city that seems to imply if we can just get the right buildings in the right place we will get progress in our very wonderful city. \u00a0We won’t.<\/p>\n\n