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Arena Group at The John Smith Aintree Grand National
Arena Structures supplied over 23,000 square metres of temporary structures to this year’s John Smith’s Aintree Grand National, with sister companies Arena Seating supplying 1,250 Grandstand seats around the course, and Arena Events managing corporate hospitality packages.
Arena Structures became involved 10 years ago and projects director Ron Smith still oversees one of the largest temporary structures installations seen at any sporting event. “Because this event is at the start of the season and the course isn’t in use we have the luxury of spending 14 weeks to install over 82 trailer loads of equipment with 30 men,” explained Ron. “We worked closely with the Aintree management to design the site and supply a huge range of structures to house everything from the multi storey hospitality structures, public bar, to shops, kitchens, the press centre and exhibition space.”
Arena Structures installed a number of structures at Aintree including The Aldaniti Pavilion, The Sky Pavilion, The Red Square Vodka Mood Bar, The Cottage Pavilion and The Aintree Pavilion. Each pavilion was individually designed and built to cater for different needs such as varying hospitality arrangements, preferred situation along the course and each companies individual tastes and corporate identity.
The Aldaniti Pavilion, which overlooked the finish line and The Sky Pavilion, were both triple-decker structures, as was The Cottage Pavilion, which also included a separate John Smith’s Hospitality Area. The Red Square Vodka Mood Bar was a single floor structure designed specifically for the client with a contemporary striking red throughout the inside to compliment their branding and corporate image. Although smaller than the others this spacious hospitality structure was the most stunning on the site.
Arena Events was the only outside company to have its own hospitality facility at Aintree with the racecourse themselves providing all of the other hospitality packages at the event. The company was responsible for selling operating and managing the third level of the Sky Pavilion, which overlooked the racecourse. Over 1,900 guests were catered for over the three days, either in private suites or shared restaurant facilities both equipped with balconies for a panoramic view of the famous Liverpool racecourse.
Charles Webb, MD of Arena Events commented: “We offered our hospitality guests a fully inclusive package to enjoy the racing. As the day began tipsters greeted the guests, gave advice and went through the race card so that even the most novice race goers could become thoroughly involved. We have had excellent feedback from our guests, both with the style and quality of the facility provided by our sister company Arena structures and the superb catering from Sodexho Prestige.”
The Aintree Pavilion housed the main public bar for Aintree in an 80 metre by 50 metre Tension Fabric Structure (TFS), dominated by a central bar and another down one side of the structure. The structure also featured a live band stage, giant inflatables suspended from the ceiling, betting outlets and was surrounded with huge LED screens showing the racing for the gathered crowds to keep up with the action on the track.
18th April 2005
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