Incredible time-lapse footage shows construction of Co-op Live arena

Amazing new footage shows the progress made on Co-op Live - with the grand opening of the new £365m arena in east Manchester less than a month away.

Boasting a potential capacity of 23,500, the venue next to the Etihad Stadium will become the UK's biggest indoor arena. It's set to host its first-ever live act - Bolton comedian Peter Kay - on Tuesday, April 23.

Ahead of its opening, bosses have released time-lapse footage showing its construction from beginning to end.

In the sped-up clip, the 4.46 hectare land bordering the Ashton Canal, Alan Turing Way and Joe Mercer Way, which was previously an overspill car park during matchday at the Etihad, is seen as a hub of construction activity.

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The structures of the rectangular-shaped building emerge before the tiers become visible inside the bowl. The huge black LED screens that surround its exterior are then put in place.

Plans for the project - a joint venture between American entertainment firm the Oak View Group and Manchester City's owners the City Football Group - were given the green light in September 2020, with work getting underway three months later in December.

Shortly after, a £100m naming rights and sponsorship deal with Rochdale-founded and Manchester-based Co-op was stuck.

Salford-based BAM Construct UK took charge of the building. More than 3,350 jobs were created during construction, with more than 386 suppliers involved.

Holmes Chapel heartthrob Harry Styles is among investors. The venue will have 32 different bars and restaurants.

OVG chief executive Tim Leiweke revealed to the Manchester Evening News how an encounter with Bruce Springsteen at a gig in the US led to its design