AO ARENA HOSTS INAUGURAL CHS MANCHESTER

The inaugural edition of CHS Manchester brings a packed exhibitor line-up of leading venues, hotels, destinations and suppliers together with a Hosted Buyer Programme approaching capacity, a major education programme across the Revolution Stage, Manchester Stage and Industry Hub, and a growing Fringe Programme reaching out into venues and spaces across the city. The show opens the evening before with Manchester Calling, its official welcome reception at Manchester Central, before doors open at AO Arena on the 30th.

 

AO Arena is the ultimate setting for CHS Manchester's debut. Sitting in the heart of the city within the Victoria Station complex, it gives visiting organisers a genuine city-centre experience, just steps from Manchester's hotels, restaurants and transport links. The venue is backed by one of the most experienced events teams in the city and has recently undergone a £50 million transformation as part of its 30th anniversary. AO Arena's track record for hosting major conference and events business includes Herbalife's European & Africa Extravaganza and CYBERUK, making it a natural stage from which to demonstrate what a Legends Global venue can deliver at scale.

 

Legends Global's presence at CHS Manchester goes beyond exhibiting. Colleagues from across the group's UK portfolio will be on the ground supporting the AO Arena team throughout the show, reflecting the combined expertise that sits behind every venue in the network, giving organisers a first-hand look at how that reach translates into local delivery.

 

The event also marks the first major showcase of Legends Global's newest addition to the portfolio, Coventry Building Society Arena, following the group's landmark 10-year partnership with Coventry City Football Club, backed by more than £15 million of joint investment. The addition strengthens Legends Global's presence in the Midlands and expands its offer for organisers looking to combine large-scale stadium capacity with conference, exhibition and hospitality space.

 

This builds on a record year for Legends Global's UK conference and events (C&E) business, after the company confirmed earlier in 2026 that 2025 had delivered more than 1.2 million delegates and attendees across its portfolio. With CHS Manchester expected to bring together hundreds of exhibitors and hosted buyers this week, Legends Global will use the show to set out the next phase of its multi-venue strategy to an industry audience gathered in its own venue.

 

Gemma Vaughan, General Manager at AO Arena said, “We’re thrilled to welcome CHS to the AO Arena and to Manchester. Whilst we’re best known as one of the UK’s leading music and entertainment venues, our £50 million redevelopment has opened up an exciting new chapter for us. Hosting CHS is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the versatility of the AO Arena and demonstrate that we’re about much more than live music. We’re proud to welcome the CHS community to Manchester and excited to give them a taste of what our venue, and our city, can offer for business events. We can’t wait to bring everyone together.”

 

With major venues in London, Manchester, Leeds, Aberdeen, Sheffield, Newcastle, Hull, York, Derby, Coventry and beyond, Legends Global offers organisers access to a diverse range of large-scale arenas, conference centres, exhibition spaces, civic venues, cultural event spaces and stadia. The portfolio allows clients to select the right venue for each event, while also creating opportunities to rotate conferences and meetings around the UK through a single venue partner. CHS Manchester gives visiting organisers the chance to explore that full range in person, and to speak with the Legends Global team about individual venues, multi-venue opportunities, destination rotation and major conference delivery.

 

Legends Global's UK venue portfolio includes:

• AO Arena, Manchester
• The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• Connexin Live, Hull
• Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry
• Emirates Stadium, London
• first direct bank arena, Leeds
• Olympia, London
• OVO Arena Wembley, London
• Outernet, London
• P&J Live, Aberdeen
• Sheffield City Hall
• Utilita Arena Newcastle
• Utilita Arena Sheffield
• Valliant Live, Derby
• York Barbican