Don Valley - Sheffield takes centre stage!
One of Britain’s premier athletics stadiums was transformed into a spectacular outdoor events venue as global rock stars U2 landed in Sheffield and sent the city’s economy into a spin.
More than 198 trucks and a specialist crew of up to 450 people descended on Don Valley Stadium to construct the band’s colossal circular stage, nicknamed “the Claw” as the already legendary 360º tour, the only English date outside of London, hit the City.
The concert was a significant boost to Sheffield’s booming events programme using the facilities of Sheffield International Venues (SIV), and is expected to boost the local economy to the tune of up to £10m.
SIV Conferencing and Events’ portfolio of facilities, which also includes City Hall - Sheffield, Sheffield Arena and Ponds Forge - Sheffield, is one of the largest concentrations of diverse events spaces in Europe.
A crowd of 50,000 descended on Don Valley for the concert, where 200 SIV staff were supported by 600 stewards and around 25,000 gallons of beer were sold.
Sheffield’s public transport network, taxis, restaurants and bars also hit the jackpot with the appearance of U2, while concertgoers filled Sheffield’s 2,500 hotel bed spaces underlining the economic value of SIV hosting big music and sports events.
Dominic Stokes, General Manager of SIV Conferencing and Events, as well as City Hall Sheffield:
“This was the biggest concert we have ever worked on in terms of production and with arguably the biggest band on the planet at the moment. It puts the city on a par with the likes of Barcelona, Paris, Berlin and Milan where they have also toured.”
Sheffield is the place to come for major events in this country. Our team work hard to bring a diverse range of high profile sporting, entertainment and business events to the region. When the event features someone or a group as high profile as U2 it can help promote the city’s positive profile but bring substantial economic benefits.
SIV’s unique offer is about strength in numbers. There are very few companies that can provide such variety and flexibility of combinations for events of any size ranging from 10 to 50,000 people. We can accommodate any request, and all on the same order form.”
