Featured image credit: Co-op Live
City Football Group and Oak View Group have announced the launch of a new joint venture to create a fully integrated service and operations company, while plans have been announced to expand Co-op Live.
CFG already has close links to OVG, with the two companies serving as joint venture partners for the development of Co-op Live, which opened in Manchester last year.
Co-op Live sits on the Etihad Campus, which also includes Etihad Stadium, home of Premier League club Manchester City. The new joint venture, dubbed Eastlands Venue Services, will begin by operating catering services at Etihad Stadium and Co-op Live.
The joint venture will operate 365 days a year across the Etihad Campus and will be led by long-standing CFG executive Mike Green. It will begin operations with over 80 full-time employees and a casual workforce of 3,000 people.
All employees will join from existing service suppliers that currently support the delivery of catering operations at events held on the Etihad Campus. The vast majority of the casual workforce will be from the Greater Manchester area and will have access to more frequent and regular shifts as part of the joint venture’s multi-venue operational model.
The partnership will also offer career training and development opportunities by providing pathways into the service industry for local people from Manchester and the wider region.
Roel de Vries, CFG’s chief operating officer, said: “Combining the expertise of our fantastic employees and casual work force, who are vastly experienced in delivering events across Etihad Campus venues, will provide the perfect foundation as we begin operations as Eastlands Venue Services.
“Our immediate focus will be the continued delivery of catering services for fans at both the Etihad Stadium and Co-op Live, but over time, we expect to grow and create new job opportunities for people across Greater Manchester who have an interest in the service sector.”
Jessica Koravos, president of international at OVG, added: “In less than a year, Co-op Live has grown to operating over 150 event days a year. Our dedicated and passionate service teams consistently deliver exceptional fan experiences from concessions to our numerous premium spaces. Partnering with CFG will benefit our employees, and ultimately our fans.”
The new joint venture has been announced after Co-op Live yesterday (Monday) revealed plans for a new canalside development on the south terrace immediately adjacent to the 23,500-capacity arena.
The development (pictured), which has been designed in line with the Co-op Live exterior, would offer visitors and the community a space to socialise and work. If the plans are approved by Manchester City Council, the space would include a café, bar, kitchen and merchandise store.
The area would host around 600 people and could also double up as a standalone event space. Residents and visitors would have daily access to the café and bar, while the space would also be available for community and private hire use, and serve as a pre-event area for ticket holders.
The space would also include dedicated toilets, accessible and baby change areas, and an accessible lift. Co-op Live will host an open exhibition on Thursday to provide locals with more information about the proposal.
Etihad Stadium is also in the midst of its own redevelopment project, with an expanded North Stand set to open by January 2026. The project will increase the stadium’s capacity from 53,400 to over 60,000 and will also include a sky bar, roof walk experience, hotel, club shop and museum, and a covered City Square fan zone.
Share this