Bradford Live.

NEC Group to operate Bradford Odeon's transformation into live music and events venue

Bradford Live has announced that NEC Group International (NECGI), part of Birmingham’s NEC Group, has been chosen as the operating partner for the Bradford Odeon.

The town’s historic Odeon building is set to be transformed into a live music and events venue and will open in 2020.

The NEC Group will take a 30-year lease on the building and invest £2m towards the conversion costs.

NECGI offers consultancy services and venue management to organisations which are considering either building a new live events venue or repositioning current facilities.

NECGI has plans to use the building to bring live music, comedy, Bollywood shows, and other live performances to the biggest ‘mid-size’ venue in the country outside London.

As well as the main auditorium, the 1930 art deco ballroom will be fully restored to host weddings, banquets, corporate and conferencing events and other live performances.

The NEC Group currently delivers more than 750 events to over seven million visitors annually across its venues in Birmingham.

Lee Craven, director of Bradford Live, said: “Bradford Live is delighted to announce NEC Group International as our Operator Partner for the Odeon. They bring a wealth of experience and resource and the work they did to win the bid was hugely impressive.

“They understand the building thoroughly and what its transformation will mean for the City. The 30-year commitment NEC has made allows Bradford Live to unlock a majority of the funding needed to restore the building and we are now working closely with the Council to ensure the full funding package is secured.

“Bradford Live looks forward to partnering with NEC Group and Bradford Council to ensure that Bradford will soon have one of the very best live music/event venues in the UK. “

Phil Mead, managing director of NEC Group Arenas, commented: “The NEC Group is focused on creating destinations of the future and is committed to connecting audiences with great content, creating unforgettable live experiences.

“Bradford Odeon, once restored, will breathe new life into an historic building which has played a pivotal role in the city’s past. The redeveloped venue, as part of the ongoing regeneration of Bradford city centre anchored around City Park, will deliver jobs and investment and transform the live event and entertainment offer of the City.

“It’s a really exciting , ambitious project which provides us with an opportunity to showcase our venue management skills. We look forward to partnering with Bradford Live to bring it to life and to delivering a new venue of choice to the entertainment and events market.”

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council leader, also said: “Bradford Live has done a great job. NEC Group International is a major brand and one of the leaders in its field. They have played a pivotal role in the regeneration of Birmingham over the past forty years.

“They have the ability to create a fantastic live events venue at the heart of our city in the historic Odeon. We are working closely with Bradford Live to secure the remaining funding needed. For example we have already announced that we’ll be pitching for the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund and are working on other funding sources too.

“The venue will bring new entertainment and cultural opportunities to Bradford, supporting our local economy by increasing visitors to the city, attracting investment and delivering jobs.”

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