Swedish pop group ABBA’s spectacular 3D virtual concert ABBA Voyage is close to signing a deal to build a permanent arena at Flemington Racecourse, making Melbourne the second city in the world to stage the 90-minute concert.
Michael Bolingbroke, chief executive officer and executive producer of ABBA Voyage, visited Melbourne from its London headquarters late last month and met with music promoters and officials from Visit Victoria and the Victorian government.
ABBA Voyage is a hit 40 years after the band split up.Credit: Johan Persson
Three sources with knowledge of negotiations but not authorised to speak publicly said a deal was close to being signed.
“It was a very positive meeting. I would suspect there will be an announcement within weeks,” one source said.
“Both sides want it and there are ongoing discussions to see if that can happen. But it has to make economic sense,” said another executive.
The negotiations involving ABBA Voyage, music promoter Paul Dainty, global live entertainment company TEG’s chief executive Geoff Jones, Visit Victoria and the state government have stepped up a notch since a previous meeting in December.
The cost of the venture is put at between $60 million to $100 million to build the arena and stage the hi-tech event, which uses LED screens to display the visuals, created with the help of Industrial Light & Magic, the company behind the Star Wars special effects.
ABBA used 3D tech to create the show.Credit: AAP
Flemington Racecourse, which has hosted many concerts and music festivals and is accessible by train, is the preferred venue. It is currently hosting Canadian acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil in a big top tent.
Promoters are seeking a substantial government contribution of up to 25 per cent, which is beyond the scope of major events company Visit Victoria to provide.
Steve Dimopoulos, the Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, is keen to secure the concert but such an injection of funds needs the approval of Treasurer Tim Pallas and Premier Jacinta Allan.
“This would be a very big, very longstanding event,” one executive said.
The Sunday Age sent a list of questions to the minister’s office, which responded with a statement: “As Australia’s major events capital, we’re always looking at new opportunities and events for our calendar,” a spokeswoman said.
Paul Guerra, chief executive of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, predicts the ABBA concert would be an even bigger hit in Melbourne than in London, where it has been making $US2 million ($AU3 million) a week, according to Bloomberg.
Promoter Paul Dainty Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
“Melbourne gave ABBA its first No.1 hit, and so it is only right that Melbourne continues its celebrated connection through the ABBA Voyage experience,” Guerra said.
“It’s only Melbourne that has the style and capability to provide the right experience for ABBA fans from all over Australia and Asia Pacific.”
One scenario would see the permanent concert venue part-owned by the Victorian government and have a life beyond ABBA Voyage, which would need to run for years to recoup the investment.
Producers insist that fitting out a venue an existing theatre or arena is impossible due to the unique technology required to recreate 3D holographic likenesses of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad in their 1970s heyday belting out hits including Mamma Mia and Voulez-Vous accompanied by a live band and backing singers.
Since the show premiered in London in May 2022 it has broken records and the company has looked at expanding globally including to Las Vegas, Sydney and Singapore.
The pop group’s immense popularity in Australia made Sydney a favoured location but the NSW government withdrew from the process, citing the costs. Last year Melbourne successfully revived the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!
Last month ABBA fans celebrated 50 years since the group’s breakthrough moment at the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton UK when they won with their single Waterloo.
Industry experts contacted by The Sunday Age said Victoria was maintaining its major events supremacy, even though Tuesday’s state budget is expected to cut deeply into the arts and culture sector.
“Melbourne is still a long way ahead, Victoria is starting a long way ahead and that is not only driven by money,” said lawyer Janet Whiting, who chairs Visit Victoria as well as the National Gallery of Victoria. “You need to think about better and different ways of doing things.”
One executive who declined to be named so he could speak frankly said NSW planned to build a covered arena with about 13,000 seats to compete with Rod Laver Arena: “Victoria should assume NSW is about to get very serious about live music and attracting the best gigs.”
Vas Katos, the chief executive of Anthem, a global entertainment consultancy firm based in Melbourne, said other states were successfully copying Melbourne’s major events strategy including developing government-backed organisations such as Destination NSW and Tourism & Events Queensland to compete with Visit Victoria.
“For the past few decades, our major events calendar has been Victoria’s answer to a spectacular harbour or Great Barrier Reef. Melbourne is now famous around the world for our culinary culture, arts scene, and major sporting events,” Katos said.
“Without the government partnerships, the commercials just don’t stack up for most producers and promoters to bring some of these global events to this country.”
“It is much more competitive these days. Victoria were the clear leaders of culture and hospitality, but the rest of Australia is absolutely catching up.”
Industry leaders cited South Australia’s aggressive campaign to stage the AFL Gather Round, Western Australia’s investment in the Coldplay concert, and Queensland’s expected major events investment ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics
Others feel that Melbourne’s position is secure.
“We are so far ahead in the comedy stakes in Australia that whilst we are always looking to grow the festival in Melbourne we are not looking over our shoulder as much as other events,” said Bill Shannon, chairman of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
“You are never completely quarantined from a tough environment and a state that is hurting financially, but you take it on and look after yourself.”
Whiting said Victoria was still in a good position.
“It has been doing this for so long. Global rights holders want to do business with us. People like going out in Melbourne.”
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