ACC Liverpool celebrates 15 years and 8.3 million visitors

The organisation, operator of the M&S Bank Arena, ACC Liverpool and Exhibition Centre Liverpool, has welcomed 8.3 million visitors and generated £2.1bn in economic impact for the city region since it opened its doors.

The arena, which recently hosted the Eurovision Song Contest, has welcomed more than 3,000 entertainment events including the MTV Europe Music Awards; artists such as Sir Paul McCartney and Beyonce and international sporting events such as the Davis Cup; BBC Sports Personality of the Year; Vitality Netball World Cup and World Gymnastics Championships.

Meanwhile, the campus has hosted a multitude of conferences including the Labour Party Conference which has taken place four times and will return in October. Global conferences over the past 15 years include BBC Studios Showcase, the European Association for International Education and the Union World Conference on Lung Health.

Exhibition Centre Liverpool extended the campus and opened in 2015, hosting a variety of consumer and trade exhibitions such as the International Festival for Business, SIBA BeerX UK and live events such as Comic Con Liverpool and Liverpool Indoor Funfair.

Faye Dyer, chief executive of The ACC Liverpool Group, said:

“We are immensely proud of what we have achieved in the past 15 years – hosting a variety of fantastic events and welcoming millions of visitors from the city region and beyond.

“We are proud to fulfil our purpose of boosting investment in the city and to showcase the Liverpool we all know and love – a city rich in culture and music that’s welcoming, inclusive and accessible to all.

“There have been so many milestones in our journey – from hosting the Capital of Culture opening ceremony in 2008 to the first conference in the UK during the pandemic as part of the government’s Event Research Programme. And, most recently, Eurovision which felt even more significant to be hosting it in our fifteenth year.”

Forthcoming highlights include World Baton Twirling; Ricky Gervais; Olly Murs; the Royal College of Psychiatrists International Congress – which takes place this week – Nursing Live and the UK Drum Show.

ACC Liverpool Eurovision — Credit: Ant Clausen

Cllr Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool City Council, said:

“From the opening of European Capital of Culture and the MTV Europe Music Awards to Eurovision, The ACC Liverpool Group has proved to be an invaluable asset in showcasing our city at its very best.

“The facilities at Kings Dock are simply world-class and have proven transformational, for our waterfront, the city’s image and our appeal as a major international destination. It’s become a huge part of the city’s visitor offer, generating millions of pounds for our tourist economy and sustaining thousands of jobs. It’s almost impossible to imagine Liverpool without it.

“The past 15 years has been a story of non-stop success and I’d like to thank everyone who works at The ACC Liverpool Group and its service partners for all the hours and extra effort they put in to help provide such a fantastic welcome that Liverpool is so famous for. Here’s to the next 15 years. If its half as memorable as what we’ve been fortunate to enjoy, Liverpool has a lot to look forward to.”

Faye added: “We always aim to lead the way and be at the forefront of industry developments and I’m so proud of our entire team and how they deliver great events with ambition, versatility, expertise and teamwork.”