Leeds Arena: BAM Construction chosen as preferred contractor

Leeds City Council’s formal announcement of the preferred contractor today, (Thursday 8 April) is a major step forward in the delivery of the 13,500 capacity Leeds Arena and a welcome boost to the construction economy locally.

BAM is a construction company with a strong national and international profile. It has built a number of high profile local, national and international stadiums including the new duel-use Pavilion for Yorkshire Cricket Ground at Headingley Stadium, the Berlin 02 Arena and a number of stadiums for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Here in Leeds, the company is currently leading on a £9.2m refurbishment of the Leeds City Varieties theatre and previously constructed the award-winning and striking Leeds Metropolitan University building, the Rose Bowl.

A huge £55million construction project, the arena is expected to add around £25.5m per year to the city’s economy and protect around 100 construction jobs. It will create an additional 100 jobs for local residents with potentially 90 apprenticeships.

The council also announced today that Bovis Lend Lease has been selected as the reserved contractor. They will maintain knowledge of the project and will be ready to ‘step up’ to preferred contractor status should the need arise.

The Leeds Arena will set a new benchmark in arena design, being the UK’s first purpose built arena with a ‘fan-shape super theatre design’ which guarantees that every seat in the house will enjoy perfect sightlines of the centre stage - 68metres will be the longest distance from the stage as opposed to 90-95m at a conventional arena.

The announcement of the preferred contractor and reserve contractor follows a recent decision to grant outline planning permission for the arena building. The project remains on track for the construction contractor to take control of the site this year, with completion fully on course for 2012. Construction work is currently scheduled to start late in 2010.

The Arena operator, SMG Europe, will also shortly seek to enter into a naming rights agreement with an organisation to sponsor the pioneering arena.

Councillor Andrew Carter, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “I am delighted to announce BAM as the preferred construction contractor to build the Leeds Arena.

“We received huge amounts of interest from contractors and the standards of submissions were extremely high. This shows the prestigious nature of this development and it is fantastic that we now have one of the very best contractors working on it.

“BAM has significant experience in building world leading stadiums and throughout the tender process they have demonstrated huge commitment and enthusiasm for the project. Leeds City Council looks forward to working with BAM and their design team.”

James Wimpenny, Director of BAM in the North East, said: “This is a fabulous project for BAM to be building. We’ll be bringing the skills and expertise that has gone into building the stadium to host this year’s World Cup Final to the Arena, together with our local knowledge and track record in Leeds. We look forward to working with Leeds City Council, as we are on the prestigious and much-loved City Varieties, to make Leeds proud of this new signature building.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Leeds Arena construction contract has been procured through a two-stage design and build approach. With the first stage tender concluded, the second stage tender from the preferred contractor will involve developing the design and tendering the physical works to an agreed list of sub-contractors. It is anticipated that contract close will be reached in autumn 2010.
2. Yorkshire Forward has provided a £9.88m grant funding to the project. Yorkshire Forward is the Regional Development Agency behind the economic regeneration of Yorkshire and Humber.
3. BAM is part of Royal BAM Group. Royal BAM has a strong pedigree in large prestige buildings and is a key contractor behind two of this year’s stadiums in the FIFA World Cup – including Soccer City, home to the FIFA World Cup Final.
4. BAM's current work includes the new duel-use Pavilion for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Metropolitan University, Carnegie Pavilion. It built Leeds Grammar School, is on site with four new buildings at the University of York, has built numerous colleges and university buildings such as the Rose Bowl building for Leeds Metropolitan University and the new School of the Earth and Environment for Leeds University. Elsewhere in the UK, BAM has worked on the Old Vic, the Royal Opera House, Selfridges, and the East Wing of Windsor Castle after the fire in 1992.
5. BAM is recognised as a successful UK contractor in health and safety and for considerate construction, for construction management, and for its environmental work. It is one of very few contractors to sign the 10:10 environmental campaign and its recycling performance and targets are ahead of most of the industry.

For media enquiries please contact:

Sara Hyman, Leeds City Council press office tel: (0113) 224 3602, Email sara.hyman@leeds.gov.uk