Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[Gordyola]

So observations from tonight’s Peter Kay gig:
Getting there: tram was as useless and overcrowded as matchday (although free!), loads of singles too full to get on at Picc (and before some prick accuses me of being idle it was pissing down so I preferred not to get soaked before the gig if that’s ok with everyone).
Getting in: no problems at all, straight in, no Q at 6.50pm
Inside: some things still not really sorted yet, eg no draught beer at many of the bars. Staff trying hard though. Biggest issue (maybe long term?) is toilet capacity, massive Qs for both ladies and gents toilets at the interval, much worse than at Etihad
The gig: enjoyed it but it ran late, he didn’t come on til gone 8.30, meaning we had to duck out during the encore to get pre booked Uber at 10.45. Massive line of black cabs (and Uber pick up) on Rowsley st near the athletics stadium. No road closures we could see. We left too early after gig to judge tram Qs.
Overall the venue is super modern, mainly impressive, some teething issues but I can’t understand why a new facility has nowhere near enough toilets (at least on L1, but it looked the same everywhere).

Great summary and I agree mostly
The toilet issue was because most headed to the same toilet in the junction I walked up to it, third tier, but was too busy so I walked back towards the stage end and at the very end was a gents pretty empty and I passed two ladies toilets The staff and there were no shortage of rhem, could have been announcing that other facilities were available
Peter Kay was brilliant not laughed so long in ages Nice cameo by Noel on the shovels at the end Voucher for free food or drink given on arrival The venue is superb much better finish wise than I expected The acoustics are brilliant being hard of hearing, with aids, I thought I’d miss a lot but no heard every word

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

So observations from tonight’s Peter Kay gig:
Getting there: tram was as useless and overcrowded as matchday (although free!), loads of singles too full to get on at Picc (and before some prick accuses me of being idle it was pissing down so I preferred not to get soaked before the gig if that’s ok with everyone).
Getting in: no problems at all, straight in, no Q at 6.50pm
Inside: some things still not really sorted yet, eg no draught beer at many of the bars. Staff trying hard though. Biggest issue (maybe long term?) is toilet capacity, massive Qs for both ladies and gents toilets at the interval, much worse than at Etihad
The gig: enjoyed it but it ran late, he didn’t come on til gone 8.30, meaning we had to duck out during the encore to get pre booked Uber at 10.45. Massive line of black cabs (and Uber pick up) on Rowsley st near the athletics stadium. No road closures we could see. We left too early after gig to judge tram Qs.
Overall the venue is super modern, mainly impressive, some teething issues but I can’t understand why a new facility has nowhere near enough toilets (at least on L1, but it looked the same everywhere).

Agree with all that.

The one thing I would add is that a helpful steward (who didn't know I was a City fan) kindly explained that the gig would finish at 10:30, whilst pointing to the trams that would be "readily available"

Ultimately it finished around 10:50 and I suspect that the "early leavers" were the only ones to benefit from a relatively punctual tram.

However, as per home matches, we walked back to Piccadilly, and as per home matches, we only spotted three trams going in the same direction.

By the time we got to Piccadilly we'd missed the last train to Hazel Grove so had to get to Stockport and catch the 192.
Not a major problem but it would have been if I still lived in Whaley Bridge

Overall an enjoyable experience, but for the moment I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and assume that the 8:30 start (when we'd been told 8pm) was purely down to teething problems and not just a cynical marketing ploy to make you spend more at the bar and ultimately miss your last train home.

 

[Prophet of Doom]

Seen a few comments about the toilet capacity but imagine it’s gonna be an issue at Comedy shows where there is an interval and almost everybody wants to pop to the toilet in a short time frame.

At gigs you aren’t gonna have a huge rush at an interval.

I am baffled by the shit tram service though. You can’t shut Andy Burnham up about the improvements to transport in Manchester - yet has done nothing about the piss poor service to the Etihad / Arena. Earlier this week he was banging on about a new rail line to Liverpool - sort this shit out first.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Very worrying that the powers that be all over the country, don't realise people need to urinate.

 

[TonyM]

Seen a few comments about the toilet capacity but imagine it’s gonna be an issue at Comedy shows where there is an interval and almost everybody wants to pop to the toilet in a short time frame.

At gigs you aren’t gonna have a huge rush at an interval.

I am baffled by the shit tram service though. You can’t shut Andy Burnham up about the improvements to transport in Manchester - yet has done nothing about the piss poor service to the Etihad / Arena. Earlier this week he was banging on about a new rail line to Liverpool - sort this shit out first.

Would a shit tram really help with the toilet difficulties? I'd imagine a piss tram would be more appropriate. All aboard!

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

Re the lack of toilet facilities

They should build a replica crumbling brick wall for men to have a slash against and convert the gents into ladies facilities.

I'm old school obviously.....

 

[mcfcinprague]

I went to see Clapton last Saturday and my biggest concern was the security.

I walked through the scanner with my jacket over my arm and the red light came on. I was told it was too bulky and to put it in the tray that was on the "inside" of the scanner. I was then asked to go through the scanner again, this time the light was green.

The thing is that my phone, keys and wallet were in the jacket which never got independantly checked.

I could have had anything in my jacket.

The same thing happened to my son and all those around us.

Or is it me going over the top after what happened at the arena?

 

[Del_Bosque]

Read that SISK are aiming to have the NS ready during 25/26 (didnt specify the beggining) and the hotel and City Sq etc open late 2026.

Presuming they’ve relaxed their timescales due to the co-op farce

 

[TableyBlue]

I went to see Clapton last Saturday and my biggest concern was the security.

I walked through the scanner with my jacket over my arm and the red light came on. I was told it was too bulky and to put it in the tray that was on the "inside" of the scanner. I was then asked to go through the scanner again, this time the light was green.

The thing is that my phone, keys and wallet were in the jacket which never got independantly checked.

I could have had anything in my jacket.

The same thing happened to my son and all those around us.

Or is it me going over the top after what happened at the arena?

I read a sign last night at Peter Kay that said their scanners were able to identify banned items even if concealed in clothing

 

[TableyBlue]

Agree with all that.

The one thing I would add is that a helpful steward (who didn't know I was a City fan) kindly explained that the gig would finish at 10:30, whilst pointing to the trams that would be "readily available"

Ultimately it finished around 10:50 and I suspect that the "early leavers" were the only ones to benefit from a relatively punctual tram.

However, as per home matches, we walked back to Piccadilly, and as per home matches, we only spotted three trams going in the same direction.

By the time we got to Piccadilly we'd missed the last train to Hazel Grove so had to get to Stockport and catch the 192.
Not a major problem but it would have been if I still lived in Whaley Bridge

Overall an enjoyable experience, but for the moment I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and assume that the 8:30 start (when we'd been told 8pm) was purely down to teething problems and not just a cynical marketing ploy to make you spend more at the bar and ultimately miss your last train homeby the time we got out the tram queue was past