UK’s Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Celebrates 25 Years With Gala Dinner

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham marked its 25-year anniversary over the weekend with a celebratory dinner on Nov. 21, recognizing the individuals who transformed the 10,000-capacity venue from concept to one of the UK’s leading regional arenas.

Since opening in 2000, the venue has hosted over 3,000 events and welcomed 20 million visitors, contributing more than £1 billion ($1.3 billion) to Nottingham’s economy, according to research by Nottingham Trent University.

The celebration brought together the original project team, construction partners, council representatives, and board members to reflect on the venue’s evolution into a cornerstone of the UK’s live entertainment circuit.

Martin Ingham, CEO of Motorpoint Arena Nottingham and the National Ice Centre, is one of this year’s Impact International: UK/Euro honorees. He commented, “This anniversary dinner was an opportunity to acknowledge the people who laid the foundation for everything we’ve achieved – and to thank them for the legacy they created and the joy they have helped bring to millions of people.”

Over its 25-year history, Motorpoint Arena Nottingham has hosted legendary artists including Elton John, Oasis, Coldplay, Beyoncé and Metallica, alongside major sporting events and family entertainment.

The venue currently employs 150 permanent staff and 1,300 casual workers, offering flexible employment opportunities and demonstrating the impact of live entertainment infrastructure on regional economies.

Councillor Neghat Khan highlighted the venue’s economic contribution during the celebratory dinner: “Our initial £16 million [$21 million] investment now generates over £40 million [$53 million] per year for the local and regional economy, benefiting hotels, bars, restaurants, local transport and retail businesses.”

Added Ingham, “This milestone celebrates our team developing a great venue into a world-class facility over the first 25 years. But the next 25 years hold real opportunities to grow our business to even greater heights for the benefits of our city and region.”

Building this kind of international clout as a regional 10,000-cap building is only possible by continuously enhancing its operations through innovation, technology and sustainability initiatives while building lasting partnerships across the events industry.

Motorpoint Arena’s 2026 program demonstrates the venue’s continued appeal to major touring acts, with confirmed shows including Peter Kay, Greg Davies, Biffy Clyro, James and Lily Allen, alongside immersive art experiences Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet.

Subscribe to Pollstar HERE