PBC TODAY: Developer Submits Plans for ÂŁ260M Gateshead Quays Arena

via PBC Today

A full planning application has been submitted for the ÂŁ260m arena, conference and exhibition centre on the iconic Newcastle Gateshead Quayside

Gateshead Council’s development partner “Ask:PATRIZIA”, has submitted a full planning application for the arena-led scheme on Gateshead Quays.

The 80,000 sq ft development, which will host international conferences and exhibitions as well as music and cultural events, is situated on the iconic Newcastle Gateshead Quayside, directly in front of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

GATESHEAD QUAYS PLANS

The scheme will include a 12,500 capacity arena, operated by ASM Global, an international conference and exhibition centre, a dual-branded hotel, restaurants, and extensive areas of the public realm.

The Gateshead Quays project is expected to add over 1,000 jobs and ÂŁ29m GVA per annum to the regional economy.

The council will be submitting a planning application later this year for a multi-storey car park on Baltic Quarter to service the development.

Global architect, HOK, is designing the overall masterplan for the site, conference and exhibition centre and 12,500 capacity arena, while AHR Architects are designing the hotel which forms part of the masterplan.

The project team also includes: project manager and contract administrator, Legends International; Lichfields, planning consultants; Gardiner and Theobald, QS; ARUP, structural engineers/M&E and Vectos for transport planning.

“Ask:PATRIZIA” is a joint venture between Ask Real Estate Limited and PATRIZIA AG.

John Hughes, managing director of Ask Real Estate, said: “We have undertaken a  programme of public consultation with local stakeholders and neighbours which has informed our plans for Gateshead Quays and we are pleased that we are now able to take this through to the final stage of the planning process.

“Our appointed contractors Sir Robert McAlpine have been engaging with the technical teams and with the arena operator ASM Global and we have signed-off stage 2 designs for what will be a world-class events destination.

“We are hopeful that the scheme will achieve full planning consent later this year and look forward to delivering this superb facility for the North East as soon as possible.”

The scheme will also benefit from the ability to connect directly to Gateshead’s district energy network.

An announcement on the hotel operator is expected to be made in the coming weeks and the new complex is set to open 2023.

SACRAMENTO BEE: California Paying Sacramento Kings $500,000 a Month to Rent Natomas Arena For Field Hospital

Via Sacramento Bee

In early April, the state of California was scrambling to find space to put thousands of hospital beds in anticipation of a surge of COVID-19 patients, and the Sacramento Kings had a big, empty arena north of downtown that seemed like an ideal spot.

In an interview with The Sacramento Bee on April 3, Matina Kolokotronis, chief operating officer of the Kings, said her boss, the team’s owner, Vivek RanadivĂ©, called her and said, ‘What about offering the arena?’ ”

“He asked how we could use our platform to do good.”

Turns out Sleep Train Arena, the team’s home in Natomas until 2016, is coming at a cost to taxpayers. The state is paying the Kings $500,000 a month for use of the facility for three months, though the team has donated the use of adjacent practice facility.

The expenses are detailed in a state contract The Bee obtained after filing a request under the California Public Records Act with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services.

The contract — signed quietly and without public announcement — now raises questions about the expenditure of taxpayer money to enrich an NBA franchise that paid its top player Harrison Barnes $24.1 million in 2019. The Kings are owned by a wealthy group of investors that includes RanadivĂ©, a software multi-millionaire.

No mention of the financial arrangement was made on April 6, when Newsom stood on the empty floor of the Kings’ former home and praised RanadivĂ© for his generosity for opening up the arena and for other donations through the Kings’ charitable foundation, which included 100,000 masks.

“We wouldn’t be here without him and without his support,” Newsom said. “It’s just an example of people all stepping in to meet this moment head-on.”

The Kings contract is among a handful the state has signed in an effort to build field hospitals to handle a possible surge of COVID-19 cases. In San Luis Obispo County, the Cal Poly Recreation Center is now a makeshift hospital, set to take in as many as 930 patients. The agreement states there is no cost to the county for rent.

Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for Cal OES, said Friday there was no intent to deceive the public about the contract between the Kings and the state.

The arrangement with the Kings “is consistent with what’s being done at the other sites,” Ferguson said. “We are paying a consistent rate at all the alternative (hospital) sites.” He added that the Kings have made available the team’s old practice facility, a separate building next to Sleep Train, at no charge.

If the temporary hospital at the Sleep Train complex were fully occupied, the rate “would work out to $41 per night per guest, which for hospital care is a pretty nice price,” he added.

The Sleep Train site was quickly refurbished to accommodate 400 patients. Ferguson said “a small number” of patients have been moved into the arena. The site is part of the state’s efforts to create 20,000 additional beds outside of medical facilities to address a COVID-19 surge.

In a statement, the Kings said they were “incredibly proud of our public-private partnership to operationalize the team’s former home in Natomas in record time.” They said the lease agreement is “consistent with other similar alternate care facilities that have been created to support the growing medical needs of the COVID-19 crisis across California.”

“Our intent was, and is, to continue to use our platform for good and to help support our community,” the spokesperson said.

NEWSOM: ‘I’M SO VERY GRATEFUL’ FOR KINGS

The contract with the California Department of Public Health was signed on behalf of a Kings affiliated company, SBH Natomas LLC, by the team’s senior vice president and general counsel Jeffrey Dorso

The agreements say the state will pay $500,000 a month, plus utilities, through June for use of the facility for a total of up to $3 million.

Newsom said at the arena in early April that RanadivĂ© offered up the facility “before we even asked.”

“The fact we’re here in such a short period of time and already seeing the construction is testament to your support and to the spirit that you have advanced,” Newsom said. “So I’m very very grateful to you.”

RanadivĂ© stood at the podium and praised Newsom in turn and said: “The Sacramento Kings have always believed it’s bigger than basketball and if we can use our platform to impact the world in a positive way and make a difference then that’s what we need to do.”

“The city has always been there for us, and we will be there for the city in any small way that we can,” RanadivĂ© said. “This where we’re standing right now is actually one of the iconic venues in sports history. This is actually where LeBron (James) played his first game, and now it’s going to be taking care of Californians. Its history of big moments continues. We thought we were done with this arena when we moved out, but in fact, the arena still lives on and hopefully will play its part contributing to the state.”

On Thursday, Legends, a sports arena food concessionaire that handles concessions at Golden 1, announced it will provide meals to staff and patients at the Sleep Train hospital site. The food will be prepared at Golden 1 Center’s kitchen facilities. The financial terms of that deal weren’t disclosed.

CITY SUBSIDY FOR GOLDEN 1 CENTER

Ranadive, who made hundreds of millions of dollars in the software business in Silicon Valley, is the leader of a group that bought the Kings in 2013 from the Maloof family. Other owners include Paul Jacobs, former chief executive of San Diego tech giant Qualcomm; and Sacramento developer Mark Friedman, whose family owns Arden Fair mall.

The city of Sacramento gave the new owners a $255 million subsidy to help build Golden 1 Center. The subsidy included several parcels of city-owned land, including land adjacent to Sleep Train, formerly known as ARCO Arena.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Kings Foundation announced it also had donated $250,000 to community organizations providing food services and other essential needs of vulnerable people in the Sacramento area.

The Kings said they were planning to donate 100,000 medical masks to state and local agencies that need them. Separately, individual players and employees have donated to coronavirus efforts; general manager Vlade Divac and two players teamed up to send ventilators and other equipment to their native Serbia.

When the pandemic began shutting down much of the economy, including the Kings’ season, the team said it would pay hundreds of furloughed team employees through the end of March.

A week ago, Kings players and other NBA players agreed to a 25 percent salary cut. The Kings’ player payroll for the full season is an estimated $118 million.

At the same time, the Kings have lost millions of dollars in ticket sales from Kings games and concerts that have been canceled at Golden 1.

Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association said billions of dollars in taxpayer funds are being spent across the country on the fight against COVID-19, with limited transparency and oversight. He said when this is all over, there needs to be a major accounting to ensure the money didn’t enrich those who didn’t need it or that it went to waste.

PRESS RELEASE: LEGENDS JOINS COVID-19 EFFORTS AT SLEEP TRAIN ARENA ALTERNATE CARE FACILITY

In partnership with the Sacramento Kings, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and other State Agencies, Legends has joined the efforts at the Sleep Train Arena alternate care facility, a field hospital set up at the former basketball venue to support the growing medical needs of the COVID-19 crisis. The Kings, who own the property, have made the site available to the California Department of Public Health to serve as a surge hospital to support COVID-19 patient overflow for the Sacramento region.

As part of the effort, Legends is managing the food production of healthy meals for more than 500 staff and patients. All food will be created at Golden 1 Center and delivered to a specified “clean zone” at the facility. In addition, 90 percent of the ingredients served will be sourced from within 150 miles of the arena and support regional farmers in line with Golden 1 Center’s Food & Sustainability Charter.

Click here to view photos of the Legends team preparing food at Golden 1 Center and delivering the meals to the Sleep Train Arena.

Legends is the hospitality partner of the Sacramento Kings, with a talented culinary team at Golden 1 Center. Last month, Legends and the Kings joined forces to donate nearly 5,000 pounds of prepared and perishable food on hand at Golden 1 Center to the Sacramento Food Bank and the Sacramento County Office of Education to help feed individuals in need and families impacted by school closures.

Legends Hospitality is the industry-leading sports and entertainment hospitality division within Legends, with partners such as the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles Football Club, and Live Nation. The company has operational expertise in a variety of markets and venue types.

PRESS RELEASE: LEGENDS’ COMMUNITY EFFORTS AROUND COVID-19

As the world has changed since COVID-19 was declared a National Emergency in March, Legends has worked closely with partners to give back to communities in need.

Legends has donated tens of thousands of pounds of food to nonprofits, food banks, and other community partners. Additionally, Legends has donated merchandise, masks, supplies, and hygiene kits to various organizations in need. In support of game-day workers and other seasonal employees whose jobs have been impacted, Legends has made significant contributions to various funds that assist these staff members.

LEGENDS IN THE NEWS:

BOWNS.COM: Browns Launch ‘Hats Off To Our Heroes’ Fund to Benefit Covid-19 Community Leaders

Via Browns.com

The Browns today launched the “Hats Off to Our Heroes” Fund, which will focus on aiding health care professionals, first responders, educational professionals and other groups who are pivotal in the community year round and are valiantly serving as role models in the face of significant adversity due to COVID-19.

For a significant period of time, the Browns will commit 100 percent of the team’s net proceeds from 2020 Browns jersey sales at FirstEnergy Stadium’s Pro Shop, in partnership with Legends, and online through Fanatics to the “Hats Off To Our Heroes” Fund beginning Wednesday, April 15, when the team will share its new uniforms on ClevelandBrowns.com and its social media platforms.

“When finalizing our uniform announcement, we realized we had an incredible opportunity to further our support of heroes battling COVID-19 on the front lines for our entire community,” said Executive Vice President JW Johnson. “We hope the excitement surrounding the new uniforms can help make a significant impact through the ‘Hats Off to Our Heroes’ Fund, and we greatly appreciate the support from our fans, retail partners and team to make this special way to give back to those leaders possible.”

In addition, team members, partners and fans can contribute directly to the “Hats Off to Our Heroes” Fund at www.clevelandbrowns.com/COVID-19, which also features community resources and information relevant to coronavirus.

An extension of the “Hats Off to Our Heroes” Honor Row hosted during all Browns home games, the team is recognizing and assisting COVID-19 heroes by supporting those who have selflessly taken on burdens in their personal and professional lives to benefit the community. The “Hats Off to Our Heroes” Honor Row program was created following the 9/11 tragedy to salute service members and first responders in the local community.

Since April 2017, the team has donated 100 percent of its net proceeds from all sales within the stadium’s Pro Shop to benefit Browns Give Back’s commitment to education and youth football.

Fans who purchase a new jersey directly from the FirstEnergy Pro Shop will also receive a 30 percent coupon by mail for future use at the location once it reopens (full details to be listed on coupon). To place an order from the FirstEnergy Stadium Pro Shop, call 440-824-3427 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday-Friday. The Pro Shop will also host special call-in hours this week from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Wednesday (April 15) and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday (April 18-19). In-store purchases are currently unavailable in adherence to all policies and social distancing best practices related to COVID-19.