Humphreys returns home to manage Perth Arena

David Humphreys, General Manager of Sydney's Acer Arena (the former Sydney SuperDome) since 2000, is to return to Western Australia to manage the new Perth Arena.

Humphreys' appointment as the innaugural General Manager of Perth Arena was announced yesterday by Harvey Lister, the Chairman and Chief Executive of AEG Ogden, which was recently named by WA Government agency VenuesWest as its preferred operator of the venue.

Lister said Humphreys "jumped at the chance" to return home to take responsibility for opening the new $500 million venue.

"While David will be missed in Sydney, this was too good an opportunity for him to pass up. David knows the local scene better than most, having managed the old Perth Entertainment Centre for many years before being headhunted to run the Sydney SuperDome.

"His many years in the industry stands him in good stead to commence planning for the opening of the venue and developing a very strong events schedule going forward.�?

Lister added that while AEG Ogden was still finalising the contractual details of its management agreement with VenuesWest, it was important to move now in assembling the best possible management team for the Perth Arena. Further announcements about that team will be made over the coming months.

The AEG Ogden chief said Humphreys would commence his role in early 2011 after taking some well earned leave. The Perth Arena is expected to open in 2012.

His replacement at Acer Arena, which is also managed by AEG Ogden, is expected to be announced in the near future.

VenuesWest Chairman Graham Partridge said his team were already working closely with AEG Ogden and were very pleased that they were progressing their planning with this announcement of an experienced member of the executive team.

The new Perth Arena will be an iconic building for the people of Perth and Western Australia, attracting more entertainment, sporting and cultural events to Perth and bringing in new visitors. Sitting within the new Northbridge Link precinct, the Perth Arena will form an integral part of Perthâs new revitalisation.

When it is opened in 2012, the Arena will bring to Western Australia a new raft of entertainment acts that will perform in a space the quality of which has not been experienced before in Perth, with capacity for up to 15,000 for concerts.

The Perth Arena has been designed to maximise flexibility and will have a curtaining system in the auditorium reduce the seating mode as required to allow events with between 4,000 and 8,000 patrons to be staged. The Arena will hold 14,500 boxing fans, possible basketball matches, international netball, martial arts tournaments, and national indoor sports championships.

VenuesWest was profiled in the July/August 2010 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

For further information go to www.venueswest.wa.gov.au

24th June 2010 - AEG OGDEN EXCITED BY PERTH ARENA’S POTENTIAL