About Us
A little bit of history
Plans for developing the underutilised land at Kings Dock first emerged in early 2000. Initial reviews considered a range of options for the site and a concert arena and convention centre facility was identified as likely to make the biggest impact on employment, the local economy and Liverpool's national profile. Plans were started for the facility's construction and in May 2005 Bob Prattey was recruited from the NEC in Birmingham to become ACC Liverpool's chief executive and build a team to manage, market and operate the new centre.
ACC Liverpool cost £164 million to build, financed by Liverpool City Council, English Partnerships (now the Homes and Communities Agency), the Northwest Regional Development Agency and European (ERDF) funding. On completion, ownership of the building was handed over to Liverpool City Council and ACC Liverpool Ltd was set up as a management company to run the arena and convention centre on the council's behalf. Liverpool City Council is the sole shareholder in ACC Liverpool Ltd and the company has its own Board of Directors, populated by both Liverpool City Council representatives and independent non-executive directors.
From an early stage our facilities were identified as key to boosting Liverpool's image as a city in which to live, work and invest. ACC Liverpool plays a key role in the city's economic growth, actively supporting Liverpool, Merseyside and Northwest-based employees, businesses and suppliers, making an economic contribution of more than £200 million in our first year of trading.
ACC Liverpool is a uniquely flexible venue, the only directly interconnected arena and convention centre in Europe. Our team consists of dedicated professionals with the vision to deliver a world-class arena and convention centre providing first class customer service and attracting visitors to Liverpool, contributing to the prosperity of the business, the city of Liverpool and its people.
In 2008, as ACC Liverpool opened its doors for the first time, the city celebrated European Capital of Culture. In an unprecedented first year, ACC Liverpool hosted over 200 events and welcomed 665,000 visitors. A string of accolades followed, including CONFEX's coveted ‘Best UK Venue’ for two consecutive years, ‘Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative' and ‘Most Effective Team’ at the Exhibition News awards. We also hosted international events ranging from the MTV Europe Music Awards and the British Council of Shopping Centres' annual conference to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, the Liberal Democrats' Spring Conference and showcased artists from around the globe.