TALKING BUSINESS


ACTION ON AND OFF THE PITCH


A key feature of the Milton Keynes skyline is Stadium MK, which opened on 29 November 2007. PETE WINKELMAN – owner and founder of Stadium MK – has created not only one of the city’s most recognisable venues, but also one of the city’s most recognisable business collaborations.


Stadium MK houses a family of companies under one roof: MK Dons Football Club, DoubleTree by Hilton, Marshall Arena, Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill and MK Do ns Sport and Education Trust, who work in unison in a unique fashion. John Cove, MK Dons director and chair of the Sports &


Education Trust, said: “Stadium MK is such a flexible resource. We have been able to host a range of activities – over and above those of football – because of the unique and flexible nature of the building and the spaces it contains.” The flexibility of the space is a key asset to the stadium


and throughout 2019, work was undertaken to transform key areas, ensuring the different businesses can accommodate the growing list of clients who use its facilities. Three of the second floor pitch-facing event spaces, ideal for groups of between 40-200, were refurbished to include state-of-the-art AV equipment; the Marshall Arena also added a Delegate Reception area which doubles up as an additional space for their huge themed Christmas party nights, which attract up to 3,500 guests per night. Stadium MK know how to give an event a special


touch - from company messages or logos on the Stadium’s huge matchday screens, to behind-the- scenes tours - the dedicated Stadium staff are able to add personalised magic to each booking. Discussing the collaboration between the


football club and the hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton sales manager Craig Wilson and MK Dons commercial executive Richard Donabie told InBusiness how they join together to offer seamless matchday hospitality. Pitch-facing hotel bedrooms are transformed into hospitality boxes for football fixtures, a popular offering to hospitality clients. The recent renovations have allowed the football club to offer improved hospitality options for fans in large sociable areas which hold up to 200 people. In such a busy working environment, cohesion between


staff across all areas of the businesses is key. John Cove explained: “None of this would be possible without the support from the wider business that, together, makes staging any event or activity perfectly possible, where others may struggle.” Team members from across the group are crucial to the


functioning of Stadium MK, however the building itself plays a massive part in the success of the businesses and the infrastructure of space behind the scenes is as impressive as the amount on display to the public. Richard fondly shared a memory with InBusiness. In the


pre-event build stage for a booking in Marshall Arena, staff were faced with the task of moving scaffolding from one side of the stadium to the other, which was done through the labyrinth of back-of-house spaces, hidden from the public and carried out without disturbing the hundreds of people who pass through the building daily. The team spirit amongst colleagues was an aid to completing the task along with the help from the space around the stadium. Stadium MK have many loyal clients who return often


22 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020


L-R: Craig Wilson, sales manager (DoubleTree by Hilton); Richard Donabie, Commercial sales & partnerships (MK Dons); Shaun Golightly, senior finance assistant (Stadium MK); Hannah Crawley, events coordinator (DoubleTree by Hilton) and Maddie Gkotzomani, reservations coordinator (DoubleTree by Hilton)


‘STADIUM MK KNOW HOW TO GIVE AN EVENT A SPECIAL TOUCH’


with their business and as their businesses have grown so have their events. Clients have gone from hosting small boardroom meetings with five people to use of the Marshall Arena to host three thousand people. With seven kitchens at the hotel’s disposal, menus are constantly being developed and no dietary request is off-limits.


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