Interview |
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of a team working on projects including new stadia builds ( Spartak Moscow , Galatasaray , Aviva National Stadium Ireland ), redevelopments ( Manchester United FC , Fulham FC ), and major events ( London 2012 Olympic Hospitality , Barclays ATP Tour World Tennis Finals , UEFA Champions League Finals ).
He joined the London Premier League club , Spurs as director of hospitality in October 2012 . He was promoted to venue director six years later , with a remit to oversee Tottenham Hotspur Football Club ’ s transformational business change from its old White Hart Lane ground to a £ 1.2bn new multi-purpose , 62,850-capacity stadium , which opened on 3 April 2019 .
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is designed to stage both Premier League and American football games , plus six concerts a year , boxing , rugby and other sports and activities .
It has world-class conference and banqueting facilities , and a Dare Skywalk visitor attraction . In February 2024 , an electric karting track opened under the South Stand after a 15-year motorsport deal was signed with Formula One .
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is recognised globally as the new world-class standard for venues , and
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it is O ’ Sullivan who is credited with its design , development , mobilisation and commercialisation .
It ’ s something he ’ s both rightly proud of and determined to replicate in West London with Olympia .
He says : “ When building the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for sport , we ensured it could be multipurpose . It ’ s the same here . We ’ re building Olympia so that it can be multi-purpose .
“ We ’ re building multiple layers to an entertainment destination so that you increase dwell time and encourage people to return . It ’ s an experiential world . It ’ s no longer just about the match or the exhibition . For example , we ’ re removing vehicle access from Olympia Way so that it ’ s pedestrianised . It will stage outdoor events and brand activations , which we ’ ve never been able to do before .”
Despite there being so much more to Olympia ’ s reimagined future than just its exhibition halls , O ’ Sullivan ’ s main focus is on improving the business of exhibitions and working closely with the UK industry .
He joined the board of the Association of Event Venues ( AEV ) just two months into his role , stating : “ I see great value in learning from our venue contemporaries and look forward to contributing to board discussion .”
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“ We ' re building multiple layers to an entertainment destination , it ' s no longer just about the match or the exhibition ”
Below : New Olympian heights on the London skyline
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When I ask if he ’ s yet to experience a London event venue rivalry , which once existed primarily between East and West and could perhaps be likened to that of Spurs and Arsenal , he laughs and says :
“ In my first few weeks , I met with ExCeL ’ s CEO , Jeremy Rees and started talking with the AEV . At Spurs , I always spoke to my counterparts at Chelsea , Arsenal and West Ham and I see no reason why I shouldn ’ t do the same here .
“ If we want to work with the UK government and attract more global events , we need to do it as one industry .”
“ A rising tide lifts all boats ,” O ’ Sullivan continues . “ By upping Olympia ’ s game , the entire UK industry will benefit . That ’ s what I ’ m here to achieve . Competition will always exist but not enough so that you can ’ t work together for a common cause .”
The month before O ’ Sullivan joined the board of the AEV , Transport for London ( TfL ) rebranded Olympia ’ s section of the London Overground train map – changing it from orange to a light blue and renaming it , The Mildmay Line .
I suggest it has made Olympia ’ s train connections more visible to the public . O ’ Sullivan agrees , saying that it ’ s already having a positive impact and that more visitors now realise there ’ s a quicker and easier way to reach the venue .
“ We ’ re still 12-18 months away from opening but nearer the time we ’ ll promote ourselves as a public transport destination . We did the same at Spurs when we greatly increased the stadium capacity but there weren ’ t additional roads to drive in on . You have to get the message correct and get it across at the right time .”
I pick O ’ Sullivan up on the ’ 12-18 month ’ opening timeline and ask him to clarify if it ’ ll be a phased opening .
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