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Global Spectrum Opens Spaladium
Global Spectrum Europe is up and running with the Jan. 16 opening of the
The 12,000-capacity venue is the first management contract for Global Spectrum Europe, a collaboration between industry giants The NEC Group and Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum Ltd.
The Spaladium team had a dry run Dec. 27, with a sold-out concert featuring national acts.
In November Global Spectrum announced it would run the venue, which has eight luxury suites, 500 club box seats, an additional practice facility and two club lounges.
The company intends to make the arena the premier site for sports and entertainment in Croatia.
“Global Spectrum Europe is now working hard to use its established promoter’s contacts to bring in high-profile acts to the city for the first time and put The Spaladium firmly on the European touring circuit,” said Phil Mead, the NEC Group’s director of arenas.
“With over 30 years of experience to bring to the project we want to cement The Spaladium’s reputation as an important and popular attraction that will welcome thousands to the region and bolster the vital economic impact on the city.”
Global Spectrum Europe manages the Spaladium Arena for Sportski Grad TPN, a consortium of two construction companies – Konstructor and Dalekovod – and civic engineering group IGH.
Sportski Grad has a contract with the local government for 30 years to manage and develop the Spaladium Centar, which will also include an office complex and parking garage as part of phase one of development.
The venue hosted 16 handball matches including the opening ceremony and the semi-finals.
France beat Denmark 27-22 in the Jan. 30 semi-final in Split, while Croatia defeated Poland 29-23. But the final didn’t go well for the host nation, which lost 24-19 to France in the final Feb. 1.
To promote the tournament, the Croatian National Tourist Board launched a series of presentations in the capitals of 13 participating countries.