Gateshead Quays arena appoints contractor

Sir Robert McAlpine has been awarded the contract for a new £260M arena, conference and exhibition centre at Gateshead Quays.

“Ask:PATRIZIA” (a Joint Venture between Ask Real Estate Limited and PATRIZIA AG, the pan-European real estate investment partner, for the development of Gateshead Quayside), Gateshead Council’s development partner, awarded Sir Robert McAlpine the contract to build the ‘game-changing’ waterfront conference and events destination last week.

The 80,000sq ft development, situated on the iconic NewcastleGateshead Quayside, will sit directly in front of the city’s Millennium Bridge and alongside between the existing Sage Gateshead building and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. It will include a 12,500 capacity arena, conference & exhibition centre, two hotels, bars, restaurants, car parking and extensive areas of public realm.

© Grahame Peacock / HOK

Gateshead Quays is being hailed as one, if not the most, truly exciting conference and events settings in the UK.

Chief Executive of Gateshead Council, Sheena Ramsey, said: “The appointment of Sir Robert McAlpine brings us a huge step closer to delivering this world class events destination for the region and we’re glad to have them on board. This development will act as a catalyst for renewed economic growth, maximising local employment, training and supply chain opportunities. This is about being ambitious for Gateshead, we need everyone in the borough to be able to fulfil their true potential and projects like this create the conditions for them to thrive.”

Mark Gibson, Managing Director for the Scotland and Northern Region, at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “We’re excited to be working on this world class conference and events development on the River Tyne, in a region with a global reputation for its cultural and leisure offer.  We bring a wealth of experience and have a highly-skilled, senior team to deliver this fantastic project using the local workforce and subcontractors wherever possible. We are looking forward to making a start as soon as the planning process is completed.”

Speaking on behalf of “Ask:PATRIZIA”, John Hughes, managing director of Ask Real Estate said: “Sir Robert McAlpine has a reputation for technical excellence and delivering complex developments safely, on time and within budget. We are looking forward to working with them to see this superb facility materialise.”

Earlier this year ASM Global signed a long-term agreement with the partnership as venue management provider for the complex which will host international conferences, exhibitions as well as music and cultural events.

A full planning application is expected to be submitted early 2020. The new complex is set to open 2023.

Award-winning Global Architect, HOK, is designing the new arena, conference and exhibition centre. AHR Architects is designing the overall masterplan for the site. The project team also includes: Project Manager and Contract Administrator, Legends; Gardiner and Theobald, QS; ARUP, structural engineers/ M&E and Vectos for transport planning.

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