Venue news - NEC set for sale, Olympic stadium upgrades - and music gets racing lift

The Times reports that Birmingham City Council, the majority owner of the NEC Group, is panning to sell the National Exhibition Centre and its sister arenas, either through a flotation or trade sale. Te group comprises four main venues including Birmingham's Symphony Hall and the National Indoor Arena, a ticketing company and a catering business. The Council needs to raise money to replace funding cuts. Gross revenues last year topped £136 million.

Building group Balfour Beatty has won a contract worth £154 million to transform the Olympic Stadium in East London into a 'first class sporting and cultural facility for generations'.  The Stadium will become West Ham United's permanent home from 2016 and the improvemengts include a new roof. 

The Jockey Club, the owner of a number of UK race courses including Aintree, Epsom and Newmarket has teamed up with music industry veteran Andrew Wilkinson and sponsorship veteran Simon Haldern to launch a new 50-50 music venture - Jockey Club Live - to promote live concerts at race curses. The Jockey Club aready promotes 25+ race + music events each year.