Ziggy Grimm Leaves SAP Arena Germany

Ziggy Grimm, the longtime event manager of SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany, left the company to open a bed-and-breakfast in Bali, Indonesia.  

– Ziggy Grimm
The outgoing SAP Arena event manager pictured with successor Hannes Krosta

Grimm was with SAP Arena from the day it opened in September 2005. Arena CEO Daniel Hopp said the 65-year-old industry veteran didn’t just contribute to the arena’s success, but actually shaped it.

According to rnz.de, Grimm will receive the first star on the arena’s Walk of Fame, which is supposed to be laid out this year.

Grimm’s successor at SAP Arena is Hannes Krosta. Grimm and his wife Cornelia are moving to Bali in September, where they’ll open a bed-and-breakfast, which has been two years in the making.

In a letter to colleagues and friends, Grimm wrote: “40 years of Rock’n’Roll are coming to an end. From poster-paster and crate-pusher to backliner, all the way to concert booking manager – a career that was characterized by a great deal of fun, lots of variety and the necessary portion of luck.

“We stood up to our calves in mud, blow-dried square meters of TV displays after pouring rain and covered countless kilometers on security patrols.

“You all were with me and guided me on this path and for that I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”