26 Mar 2019
Populous to design 'watershed' esports arena in Philadelphia
BY Andrew Manns
Architecture practice Populous have teamed up with Comcast Spectacor and The Cordish Companies to create the Fusion Arena – a US$50m (€44.2m, £37.7m) competition venue for professional video game players.
Set to rise at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, the 60,000 sq ft (5,574 sq m) arena will be able to accommodate up to 3,500 spectators and offer a slew of training facilities, studios, and streaming rooms for competitors.
Fusion – a Philadelphia-based franchise and member of the Overwatch League (which boasts over 40 million players globally) will be the property's primary tenants, but the space will also host concerts and other entertainment events.
"Fusion Arena represents a watershed moment for the competitive gaming market," said Populous senior principal Brian Mirakian.
He added: "We're taking our 36 years of designing iconic experiences for traditional sports – settings like Yankee Stadium – and applying those same principles of design to the virtual world of gaming."
Joe Marsh, chief business officer of Spectacor Gaming and the Philadelphia Fusion, commented: "This project places esports alongside all the major traditional sports that call South Philadelphia home."
The project is scheduled to break ground this summer and is anticipated to be completed in 2021.
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