The Odyssey Trust has announced today that it will be investing £3million in a facilities upgrade and seat refurbishment project at the Odyssey Arena this summer.
Situated in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast, The Odyssey Arena is Northern Ireland’s largest indoor multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue. The Arena first opened its doors in 2000 and has welcomed over 8 million visitors across a wide range of high profile events ranging from concerts and comedy to theatre, family and a multitude of sports.
The Odyssey Trust is the charitable organisation responsible for the management and development of the Odyssey site, including the Odyssey Arena and W5 Science & Activity Centre. The Odyssey Arena is also home to the Belfast Giants ice hockey team, which has won a wealth of silverware and secured 4 league titles playing in the Elite League.
The Arena facilities upgrade and seat refurbishment project, which will begin in July, will see circa £3million invested on new seating, improved digital infrastructure and other key initiatives to enhance overall customer experience.
Each of the 9,000 seats inside the auditorium will be replaced, as well as the decking and flooring areas. A new Club Seat section will be introduced to allow for attractive vantage points, higher backed chairs and enhanced comfort. Investments in WiFi technology, Digital Screens and chip and pin payment services are also planned as part of the Odyssey Trust’s commitment to provide first class services to its patrons.
The Arena will reopen again for the Belfast Tattoo on 4th September 2015, followed the next weekend by the first home league game of the season for the Belfast Giants.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Jonathan Bell welcomed the announcement. He said: “Northern Ireland has increasingly become known as the home of major events and our tourism industry has never been in a stronger position. The Odyssey Arena is one of our premier entertainment venues, hosting concerts by international artists, exhibitions and a wide range of sporting events as well as being home to the Belfast Giants.
“The arena makes a significant contribution to our local economy playing an important role in the tourism, hospitality and events sector. The investment by the Odyssey Trust will not only maximise the facilities offered here but will ensure the Titanic Quarter remains a key Belfast destination for both local people and tourists alike.”
Adrian Doyle, Operations Director of the Odyssey Trust, said: “2015 is a very exciting year for the Odyssey Arena and we are looking forward to the facilities upgrade and seat refurbishment project taking place during the summer. As the Arena approaches its 15th birthday it is important for us to re-invest in our facilities and continue to enhance our service offering to customers.”
He added: “The Autumn and early winter programme is looking very exciting with a great range of rock and pop, comedy and family shows. Sport has played such an important part in the Odyssey story to date it seems fitting that the Arena will host the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in December. The sporting highlight of this year however will undoubtedly be Belfast’s first major college ice hockey tournament held over Thanksgiving weekend in November. This will see four top universities from the prestigious National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) play in The Friendship Four, an event that is likely to attract an audience from across the UK, Europe and America.”
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Caption: Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell (centre) is pictured at the Odyssey Arena with Odyssey Trust Operations Director Adrian Doyle and Belfast Giants Manager Steve Thorton. The Trust is making an investment of £3m in the Arena.