The Sage

Last updated
The Sage
The Sage Arena logo.svg
Proposed design for The Sage.jpg
Rendering of the proposed venue
The Sage
Location Gateshead Quays, United Kingdom
Coordinates 54°58′03″N1°36′00″W / 54.9675°N 1.6000°W / 54.9675; -1.6000
Operator ASM Global
TypeIndoor arena, conference centre
Capacity 12,500 (Sage Arena) [1]
Construction
Construction cost£350 million [2]
Architect HOK
Website
thesage.co.uk

The Sage is a forthcoming indoor arena and conference centre in Gateshead, United Kingdom. It was originally due to open, in two phases, between 2025 and 2027. [3] The site is located between The Glasshouse and BALTIC centres on Gateshead Quayside. [4] As of 2025, construction work still has yet to commence.

Contents

If built, the Sage Arena will replace the nearby 11,000 capacity Newcastle Arena that was originally opened in 1995. [1]

Name and history

The Sage will be located in the current vacant space between Sage Gateshead and Baltic (both pictured). Baltic & The Sage from South Shore Road (geograph 2558142).jpg
The Sage will be located in the current vacant space between Sage Gateshead and Baltic (both pictured).

The venue is named for The Sage Group, a British multinational enterprise software company based in Newcastle upon Tyne, [5] who agreed a £10 million deal for the naming rights. [1] As of 2022 the Sage Group are currently patrons of the next-door Sage Gateshead venue which announced that they will be finding a new name for the 2004 building, [6] which is now The Glasshouse International Centre for Music. [7]

Gateshead Council announced plans to redevelop the vacant site in 2014 and at that time the aim was for a mixed use development. [4] The development is likely to cost in excess of £350 million. [2] Preparatory works on the site began in late 2021. [8] [9] £20 million was secured from the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund in 2023. [2] Construction work was expected to start in Spring 2024. [10]

HOK are the architects of the complex and it is a joint venture between developer Ask Real Estate and investment manager Patrizia AG. [11] The 54,500 square metres (587,000 sq ft) complex will be operated by ASM Global who currently operate the nearby Utilita Arena Newcastle. [12] The conference centre, which is to be built first, was initially due to open in 2025 with the arena following in 2027. [3]

Sage development site between The Glasshouse concert hall and Baltic art centre, as seen from the Baltic in 2024. Sage development site.jpg
Sage development site between The Glasshouse concert hall and Baltic art centre, as seen from the Baltic in 2024.

In an update regarding the progress of the arena project in November 2024, the local council confirmed they had yet to start construction work and that the estimated cost had risen to more than £350 million. The site has already been cleared for the new development. [13] In January 2025, it was reported that a deal was close to being signed, that would allow construction work to start, and was expected to be announced in the next few weeks. [14] However, in July 2025, it was revealed that progress on the site had stalled due to rising costs and feasibility issues. The future of the project remains unclear; options include downsizing the development to help reduce its required public funding or for the site to instead be used for a mixture of housing, retail, and commercial ventures as originally planned. [15]

Facilities

The site will have two hotels run by the Accor group, an ibis and Novotel, with a total of over 300 rooms. [16]

The Sage Arena will have a capacity of 12,500 and will also have outdoor performance spaces, bars, restaurants and retail outlets. [17] The 6,320 square metres (68,000 sq ft) conference and event space will include 17 conference suites and 2,520 square metres (27,100 sq ft) of adaptable meeting space. [17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Whitfield, Graeme (27 January 2022). "Tech firm Sage to sponsor new Gateshead conference centre and arena". Business Live. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Holland, Daniel (20 January 2023). "Gateshead Sage Arena delayed to 2025 after £20m Levelling Up Fund boost". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 Shakespeare, Austen (12 July 2023). "New plans for Quayside development mean Sage Arena will not open until 2027". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 Kelly, Mike (6 November 2014). "Plan to develop land between the Sage Gateshead and the BALTIC revealed". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  5. ↑ "The Sage, a world class business centre in the North East". The Sage Group plc. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  6. ↑ Shakespeare, Austen (27 May 2022). "'No Sagey McSageface': Sage Gateshead to announce new name by September". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  7. ↑ "Sage Gateshead renamed Glasshouse International Centre for Music". BBC News. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "The Sage". Newcastle at MIPIM. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  9. ↑ "Work starts on the NewcastleGateshead Quays development". Sage Gateshead. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Gateshead and Durham projects get £23m devolution funding". 31 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Sage strikes naming rights deal for new Newcastle Arena". Conference News. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  12. ↑ "Gateshead Quayside development venue named as The Sage". BBC News. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "Gateshead Sage: 'Time for answers' on delayed £350m arena". BBC News. Nov 15, 2024. Retrieved Nov 24, 2024.
  14. ↑ Holland, Daniel (23 January 2025). "Gateshead Quayside conference centre construction start close to being announced". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  15. ↑ Holland, Daniel (July 17, 2025). "Gateshead Quays update as bosses seek 'good product' for stalled arena site". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  16. ↑ "Accor chooses NewcastleGateshead Quays for dual branded hotel". NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  17. 1 2 "Conferencing and Events". The Sage. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
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