Paris Bercy Arena Rebranded & Renovated

The capacity was expanded from 17,000 to 20,300 in an 18-month renovation process that cost euro 140 million ($152 million) and was completed in mid-October.

While the venue is owned by the city of Paris, it is operated by a management company, in which AEG and the city are partners. In the public-private partnership deal, the naming rights were awarded to Accor Hotels for at least 10 years.

Europe’s largest hotel operator will pay euro 4.15 million Euros per annum with an option to extend the contract for another 10 years. The number of boxes in the arena was increased from 18 to 53. Modular stalls and new balconies were added. The refurbished venue can be configured in 30 different ways. Its operators expect 1.6 million visitors to 140 events per year.

The new arena may increase Paris’ chances of hosting the 2024 Olympic Games. AccorHotel card-holders will receive a series of benefits like priority ticketing, fast lane entrance and access to exclusive lounges and suites. “By acquiring the rights to the upgraded and renovated arena, the brand will connect with music, sport and entertainment fans in a new and exciting way, a first for the French market and a hotel chain. We’re excited for what this partnership can do for the venue and AccorHotels customers,” said Paul Samuels, EVP of AEG global partnerships.

France is fairly new to naming rights deals. It certainly is the first such one AEG was able to finalize, after fairly recent agreements for Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles and PlayStation Theater in New York.

The arena was founded as Palais Omnisports Paris-Bercy in February 1984. There’s hardly a big name in show business that hasn’t performed there. The coming months will see the Scorpions, Madonna, Muse, David Guetta, and AccorHotels Arena take the stage, but also sports events such as Nitro Circus, the Harlem Globetrotters and WWE.