City venue named Emirates Arena

Sep 28 2012

A new sports venue in Scotland's biggest city has been named the Emirates Arena under a sponsorship agreement with the airline.

The centre, in Glasgow's east end, includes the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the Commonwealth Indoor Sports Stadium and three full-size sports halls. It opens next Friday and will host eight Scottish, European or world-level sporting events in its first four months.

Under the sponsorship agreement announced by Glasgow City Council, the £113 million venue will be called the Emirates Arena for the next 10 years.

Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson said: "This is a fantastic deal for the people of Glasgow. Many of the world's top sports venues already enjoy the considerable benefits and prestige secured through a naming rights agreement and this partnership with Emirates puts us firmly in that elite group.

"The Emirates Arena is a truly world-class venue that will host a genuinely world-class sporting events programme. This partnership will bring that venue and global brand together and it will be the people of Glasgow who will reap the benefits.

"We are one of the world's top 10 sporting cities and the Emirates Arena will play a huge part in ensuring we retain and build on that position in the coming years. We can't wait for the action to get under way at the Emirates Arena."

The deal will put millions of pounds into Glasgow's economy and give the venue an internationally recognisable brand name, according to the council.

The arena covers a 10.5-hectare site and also has a Glasgow Club health and fitness centre, a luxury spa, an outdoor 1km closed cycle circuit and four outdoor five-a-side football pitches. It will also be open for community use.

Emirates, based in Dubai, said that the 10-year sponsorship enables it to strengthen its presence in Glasgow with prominent branding throughout the arena.

The airline's spokesman Richard Jewsbury said: "As a truly global airline, we are committed to connecting people and cultures and this new sponsorship portfolio truly embodies this spirit. The state-of-the-art multi-purpose Emirates Arena is a true representation of our new brand platform 'Hello Tomorrow' which focuses on the endless possibilities of the future."