Harry Styles helps fund new £350 million Manchester arena

Harry Styles is a major investor in Manchester forthcoming arena venue Co-Op Live, the singer has revealed.

The 23,500-capacity venue, whose name was revealed in September, is the brainchild of the Oak View Group, who announced their plans last month following approval from the local council. Once completed, Co-op Live will be the UK’s largest indoor concert venue.

Set to be located on the Etihad Campus, the site of Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium in Eastlands, it is currently hoped that the venue will be ready to be opened in 2023. Construction work could begin on the project as early as November.

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“As long as everything’s in order by 2023, hopefully they’ll let me play there. If I haven’t messed it up yet,” Styles told the Associated Press. “Ultimately, I’m a music fan. I love going to shows, I love live music.”

Manchester
Mock-up of Manchester’s new 23,500 capacity arena. Credit: Press.

The singer said he intends for the venue to be a stand-out for artists on their tours. “What’s going to make it different than just touring? I want it to be a room that people remember playing and look forward to playing.”

Styles also noted that his first job was as a paper-boy for his local Co-Op. “Maybe the first show they’ll make me deliver the papers to every seat,” he joked.







Earlier this month, meanwhile, Styles announced a limited edition vinyl box set of his most recent album ‘Fine Line’ to mark the record’s first anniversary.

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Scheduled to start shipping from December 11 – nearly a year after the album was first released – the box set will include two LPs, ten gloss prints of Styles by album photographer Tim Walker, a 24-page Fine Line at the Forum lyrics zine, as well as a pair of gloves to handle the material with care.

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