Image credit: Arena concept by Glenn Howells Architects Limited
A new ‘world class’ creative technology education faculty and 1,500-seat esports arena is being proposed for Bristol.
It’s set to open in September 2023 at the West of England Institute for Specialist Education (WISE) Further Education College site in Bristol.
South Gloucestershire & Stroud College (SGS) has invited venues company Northern Lights Arena Europe Limited (NLAE) to bring forward proposals for the tech and esports education centre of excellence for Bristol and the South West.
NLAE will submit proposals for the enhancement of the existing WISE campus, which could include the new faculty as well as student accommodation.
The faculty will work with the existing on-site Bristol Institute of Performing Arts, Bristol Academy of Media and the Bristol School of Art, as well as the other SGS Campuses.
The esports arena will also boast a ‘global digital streaming capability’, with technology delivered by NLAE’s partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
AWS will also be helping to facilitate cloud-based education content in the faculty, allowing South Gloucestershire & Stroud College to deliver programmes remotely to classes at their other campuses.
“By working with SGS to deliver world-class future-proof digital education and esports training and events facilities, the proposed WISE faculty development will put Bristol and the South West firmly on the global esports map.”
UK energy provider Vital Energi will help make it a zero-carbon project.
NLAE recently announced its first multi-million-pound 4,000 seat esports arena and campus for the City of Dundee, in partnership with Abertay University, Dundee and Angus College, Amazon Web Services & Education and Dundee City Council.
As well as the esports and education centre, the WISE Campus is also planning to open a new £7m specialist technology and science building funded by the West of England Combined Authority in March 2021.
Keith Hamblin, CEO of the SGS Group, commented: “This announcement is the next step towards a development that would put creative technology and esports at the heart of the region.
“This private sector investment in the skills education of the West of England is a testament to the faith in the future of the creative sector in the south west as we emerge from the pandemic.”
Chris Turner, CEO of NLAE, added: “By working with SGS to deliver world-class future-proof digital education and esports training and events facilities, the proposed WISE faculty development will put Bristol and the South West firmly on the global esports map.”
There’s proposals for another esports arena to be developed in the UK. A few weeks ago, Southport announced plans to open new esports venue after asking school children what they’d like added to the area.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
