Kings Waterfront Civic Facilities (including Liverpool Echo Arena & BT Convention Centre)
_tcm81-57886.jpg "Artists impressions of the new civic facilities at Kings Dock")
The former Kings Dock next to the River Mersey is being transformed from a vacant site to one of the most important developments taking place in the region.
The 14.6 hectare site is turning into an international visitor destination. The centrepiece of the masterplan are the civic facilities which have now been completed - the Liverpool Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre and a new public piazza that now provides a high quality public space overlooking the Rivery Mersey and the Albert Dock complex.
The £146million arena and convention centre opened in January 2008. It comprises a multi-purpose indoor arena/exhibition hall capable of accommodating between 8,000 - 10,000 spectators and providing around 7,800 sq metres of exhibition space, and a 1,350 seat conference centre. This will provide a range of entertainment, sporting, business and leisure events that will contribute significantly to the Liverpool and Merseyside economy and the city region's vibrancy.
Bovis Land Lease completed the external work for the Arena on 3rd January, while the official opening took place on 12th January 2008 with a star studded concert that formed one of the first major events for Liverpool's Capital of Culture year. "Liverpool The Musical - the Greatest Story Ever Told" saw the history of the city brought to life with what was promised to be the most unusual line-up ever to set foot on the same stage. Ringo Starr, former Eurythmic Dave Stewart, Echo and the Bunnymen, Pete Wylie, Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds, Shack and the Christians all took part. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra also played, stacked up on vertical scaffolding with conductor Vasily Petrenko on a scissor lift.
Visit the Liverpool Echo Arena website for more information (will open a new window).
A few months prior to the opening, a 1,600 space multi-storey car park was completed.
The development of the civic facilities was led by a public partnership consisting of the landowner and funder (English Partnerships), the eventual owner and part funder of the arena and conference centre (Liverpool City Council) and the North West Development Agency who will also provide funding support. Liverpool Vision is providing project coordination on behalf of the funding partners. Funding support was also being provided by the ERDF Merseyside Objective 1 Programme.
The civic facilities will provide a focal point and catalyst for the wider Kings Waterfront development for which it is anticipated support from public funds will not be required.
Two hotels next to the arena and convention centre have also been completed.
When complete by 2015 the overall Kings Waterfront development will also consist of 1,707 residential units, 18,000 sq. m of offices, 9,000 sq m of retail / leisure uses.
Images on this page courtesy of Wilkinson Eyre Architects Ltd (c)
Map showing project location
View interactive map