About Us
A little bit of history
Plans for developing the under-utilised 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 as ACC Liverpool's Chief Executive and build a team to manage, market and operate the new centre.
Arena and Convention Centre 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.
ACC Liverpool opened its doors for the first time as 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.
To date, ACC Liverpool has secured a reputation as one of the leading multi-purpose venues in the UK. The success of the venue to date justifies the confidence that stakeholders displayed in investing in this landmark regeneration project.
2010 was a year of solid growth for ACC Liverpool. Numbers of visitors through the door at the Echo Arena grew and confirmed business into the BT Convention Centre continues to increase year on year. The Arena's packed diary has helped to generate an excellent arts culture and following in the Northwest which has subsequently secured just under two million visitors to the Arena since opening.
The success of the BT Convention Centre continues with demand from all corners of the world. In 2010 we held some of the UK’s most coveted events including National Association of Headteachers, the annual Liberal Democrat conference and the National Cancer Research Institute.
The conference and events calendar was just as packed in 2011 with confirmed acts at the Echo Arena including Peter Kay, Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Katy Perry while the BT Convention Centre welcomed the annual Labour Party conference and the Royal College of Nurses.
ACC Liverpool has become synonymous with the rejuvenated city as a symbol of the city’s cultural, physical and economic regeneration. Capital of Culture 2008 was a phenomenal success for the city, with the opening event staged at ACC Liverpool the venue has become a legacy of the Capital of Culture year.
Praise for ACC Liverpool has come from far and wide with numerous awards bestowed on the venue since opening in 2008. The awards have recognised key attributes from the venues rigorous green credentials and standards, to the most important aspect of any service driven business – our people.