SMG has signed a 12 year contract with the city of Wroclaw for the management of one of the most impressive stadium projects in Europe. SMG was selected as the winner of an intensive competitive negotiation process over the last 1.5 years, by offering the most attractive proposal to the city.

This contract is an historic milestone. SMG will become the first private management-company in Poland to operate a public assembly facility, and expands into the fastest growing market in Europe with its newly formed subsidiary SMG Polska. Wroclaw Stadium is also the first stadium to announce the election of an operator in order to properly prepare the venue for the 2012 European Soccer Championships, the most prestigious sports event in the history of Poland. 

SMG will bring a range of events to the venue, ensuring it has an economic and socially beneficial legacy long after Euro 2012. The company will take charge of the Stadium immediately and will be responsible for all aspects of the management. This will include booking of concerts and entertainment shows, management of convention and congresses in the facilities of the stadium, ticketing, sales of Naming-Rights, Suites and Club seats and all other aspects of the operation.

John Sutherland, Senior Vice President of SMG Europe , whose Head Office is in Manchester, United Kingdom, says  “With the headquarters of SMG Polska in Wroclaw we will be able to serve the Polish market with excellence: we will establish a management-team of 30 experts which can quickly react to any market demands. Our goal is to grow our business in this region, especially in the fields of Stadium, Arena, Congress and Theatre Management. We have learned through our presence in the Polish market over the last 4 years how to respond to the needs of municipalities and private investors and developed the first blueprint for a public-private-partnership in venue management.”

Wroclaw Stadium is currently under construction. It will have a capacity of 42.000 seats with over 2,000 Club seats and 30 Executive Suites, surrounded by an external promenade. The architectural concept developed by JSK Architekci is STADIUM-LANTERN. The distinctive design will be easily recognisable and associated with Wroclaw as the dynamic city - "the Meeting Place". It stands out mostly because of its shape, highlighted by the very innovative design of external walls. The unique building will be covered by glass fibre mesh coated with Teflon. The special design of lighting technology makes it possible to change the colour of the external walls.

Michael Brill, Regional Vice President of SMG Europe says “Poland is the most important emergent market in Europe with tremendous potential. As one of the largest Polish cities with close proximity to Warsaw, Berlin and Prague, the opportunity in Wroclaw offers the perfect start for our activities in this market.  The 2012 European Soccer Championships will showcase the Stadium as an iconic building for Eastern Europe.”

John Sutherland says “This is an important move in the development of SMG into new world markets. We already have a professional team of highly experienced venue-managers for our office of SMG Polska, which will be led by our Regional Vice President Michael Brill. Our Marketing and Event-Booking teams have started work in introducing the building to the market and we are receiving a very positive response.