W. Conshohocken firm manages Manchester Arena
Manager of Manchester Arena is based in West Conshohocken.
SMG, of West Conshohocken, manages the Manchester Arena in England, where 22 people were killed by a terrorist bombing Monday while leaving a concert by Ariana Grande.
The company said Tuesday in a statement on its website that it was assisting officials in their investigation of the bombing in public space outside the arena. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of this tragic incident and their families," the company said.
Top SMG executives, including Wes Westley, the company's president and chief executive, were on their way to Manchester on Tuesday to provide support, a company spokesman said. SMG employs nearly 3,000 in the United Kingdom, mostly part time. Two SMG employees were hurt in Monday's blast, though their conditions were not known, the spokesman said.
Founded in 1977 with a contract to manage what was then the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, the company now manages more than 200 stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and performing arts centers across the United States and in Europe with gross revenues of $1.5 billion, according to a company website. It also handles food services at dozens of facilities.
Manchester Arena, with seating for 21,000, is the company's biggest. That arena is also SMG Europe's headquarters. The headquarters staff moved to temporary offices Tuesday.
SMG is best known in the Philadelphia area for its role managing the Convention Center in Center City.