“We couldn’t have picked a better city to build this arena”

Dive into the electrifying world of live events with Sam Piccione. Sam is the President International of Oak View Group, the company behind the much-anticipated Co-Op Live Arena.

Sam’s work has taken him from the United States to China, London, and now Manchester, where he's helping to create a new state-of-the-art venue. Sam and host Lisa Morton discuss his journey from music-loving New Jersey kid to key player in the global live events scene. 

With iconic Manchester venues, like the Hacienda, the Free Trade Hall and the Ritz, what will this new space bring to the city and how do you build something brand new yet still incorporate the values of a Manchester institution like the Co-op? 

Sam and Lisa discuss the unique features of Co-op Live, its community impact, and why Manchester is the perfect setting for this new chapter in live entertainment.  Sam explains what it will feel like to be one of thousands of fans watching your favourite artists at Co-Op Live.  

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Your host, Lisa Morton, started PR company Roland Dransfield in 1996, one month after the fateful IRA bomb that tore apart the city centre.  From that point, the business, and its team members, have been involved in helping to support the creation of Modern Manchester – across regeneration, business, charity, leisure and hospitality, sport and culture.

To celebrate the 26 years that Roland Dransfield has spent creating these bonds, Lisa is gathering together some of her Greater Mancunian ‘family’ and will be exploring how they have created their own purposeful relationships with the best place in the world.

Connect with Lisa and Roland Dransfield: 

Via our website

On Instagram

On X FKA Twitter

On Spotify

Connect with Sam

On LinkedIn

Mentioned in this episode:

We Built This City's partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University

On this episode, We Built This City has partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University.

Manchester Met