ACC celebrates £200m impact on Liverpool

THE Arena and Convention Centre in Liverpool is celebrating the economic benefits it has brought to the city since opening.

The ACC, which TheBusinessDesk last month reported made a turnover of £12.25m in its first full year of trading and a small profit, is also close to receiving its one millionth visitor.

Chief executive Bob Prattey told TheBusinessDesk that the ACC was already having a significant economic impact on the city’s wider economy – to the tune of at least £200m a year – a figure, he added, that was “very conservative”.

And, he added, it had increased footfall at the Albert Dock by 50%.

Last month it was announced that the Labour Party was to hold its conference in Liverpool for the first time in 2011, at the ACC. 

It is the BT Convention Centre, rather than the arena, that is the major economic driver, according to Mr Prattey, with conference delegates more likely to stay in the city for several days.

Meanwhile, arena events are more likely to raise the profile of the city and ACC, but do mostly attract one-off visitors.

He said the company is working with hotels and other sectors to maximise the economic impact of the venue for other businesses.

Mr Prattey said:  “If people are coming for events, we are working now to try and encourage them to stay over. So if they are driving here to see the Walking with Dinosaurs show, they   could stay over and turn it into a mini break.

“We have special offers with other venues so people can make a day of it and also go to the Beatles Museum or the Tate.”