PROCUREMENT STARTS FOR COPPER BOX ARENA CONTRACT FOR AWARD-WINNING

QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK

• Search for new operator launched for Copper Box Arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 
• London 2012’s ‘Box That Rocks’ is the London destination for basketball, netball, esports and this autumn hosted the opening matches of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup.
• Deadline for submission of Selection Questionnaire (SQ): 12 Noon, 08 February, 2023.
• Download images HERE.  

Ten years on from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) is looking to award a new operating contract for the Copper Box Arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.  

The Copper Box is the Park’s most versatile venue, with a maximum seating capacity of 7,500 and the ability to stage elite sport and esports as well as other live entertainment events.  The Arena is home to the London Lions basketball teams and London Pulse netball team, and includes a 80 station gym, café and ancillary facilities.  

The London Legacy Development Corporation, which operates the Park, is seeking to lease the Arena under a new operating arrangement that will build on the venue’s first successful decade.  Major events at the Arena since 2012 have included Fed Cup Tennis, Street League Skateboarding, the Table Tennis World Cup, England Netball Internationals, esports tournaments such as Call of Duty and Rocket League, the Vitality Netball Superleague Grand Final, championship boxing, and the Invictus Games.  In November 2022 the Arena hosted the England Team’s opening matches of the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup.

Edward Fane, Head of Venues at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, said:  “Ten years on from London 2012, the Copper Box Arena is a thriving venue for national and international events as well as community sport, health and fitness. 

“This exciting high value contract is critically important to the long-term legacy of the London 2012 Games and we are seeking a significant partnership for the next eight years to bring more high profile events to the Park and build on the Arena’s hugely successful first decade.’ 

LLDC is looking to appoint a service provider that will operate and maintain the Arena, continuing the high level of public use and attracting major national and international events.      

The award will be made in another year of evolution for the Park, with the opening of the new East Bank cultural development at the Park, starting in summer 2023, and more and more people choosing to work, live and study on the Park.  

LLDC operates Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park through a variety of service contracts that have been let from the Park’s inception; some prior to London 2012 and some as the Park has evolved into its current form post-Games. 

Interested companies are required to complete a Selection Questionnaire (SQ) by 12 noon, 08 February, 2023. The Contract Notice (section VI.3) contains additional information on how to access the SQ and relevant procurement documents. 

The Contract Notice can be accessed here.

Notes to Editors:

2022 is a special year for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park marking 10 years since the world’s spotlight shone on London for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In that time the Park has delivered on its legacy promises creating a must-visit destination for east London attracting six million visits a year, world class sport and entertainment events, thousands of new homes and two new business districts. That progress continues with more homes and jobs to be delivered and projects like East Bank, the most ambitious cultural and education district the country has seen for a generation, set to open soon. It’s a legacy to proud of and one that will continue and inspire generations to come. #passthebaton