Olympiapark Munich received award as Best Location

On February 15th, Olympiapark München received the Live Entertainment Award (LEA) in Hamburg as the “Best Location”. Unlike the ECHO, Grammy, or MTV Award, the LEA does not honor celebrated performers; instead, it honors the passionate movers and managers - “the moonlights, who reflect the warming sunrays of the artists”, as LEA e.V. President Fritz Rau once called them. With these awards, a jury comprised of well-known music journalists honored successfully executed tournaments, festivals, single, and en-suite events of the year 2006 that were celebrated by a broad public. Furthermore, LEA trophies were also awarded for exemplary commitment to the promotion of young artistic talent, for outstanding event, agency, and management work, an extraordinary location, and a life’s work in live entertainment. “I am very proud and happy that Olympiapark has won this prize in the category “Best Location”. For one thing, it is evidence of the excellent cooperation with the many organizers who – not just last year – but over the last nearly 35 years have repeatedly booked the park for their concerts and events. For another, it is a mark of distinction for the entire Olympiapark team, which was shaped and successfully led from 1972 to 1993 by my predecessor Werner Göhner and which through great commitment ensures that organizers and visitors to Olympiapark find optimum conditions and unforgettable experiences”, said the head of Olympiapark Wilfrid Spronk at the award ceremonies. He continued: “Last but not least, the LEA Award is an incentive to maintain the high level that the park has reached as an event location and to keep improving it further. An important step in this direction will be the renovation of the Olympic Hall, which will begin in the fall, providing even better conditions and even greater convenience for organizers and visitors alike”.  In a total of 14 categories the LEA was awarded for special achievement in live entertainment. Besides Olympiapark, the nominees in the category “Best Location” in 2006 included the Museum Mile in Bonn, The Old Opera in Frankfurt, and the SAP Arena in Mannheim. After a successful premiere in February 2006 and a great response in the media, the LEA experienced its first return engagement. Stars and prominent guests from culture, politics, and society did not have to be asked twice to the LEA 2007: The award program included a musical “toast” by Udo Jürgens to the indispensable helpers in the background. Peter Maffay and Udo Lindenberg also paid their respects. The moderator was TV entertainer Götz. Some of the LEA 2007 speakers and guests he greeted included Helen Schneider, Nina Ruge, comedian Piet Klocke, the pop newcomer of the year LaFee, the chairman of the board of GEMA Dr. Harald Heker, and the vice president of the German Federal Phonographic Business Association , Dieter Gornyas About 50 jurors - well known music journalists and experienced concert-goers – visited about 500 concerts and events throughout Germany over the past year for the LEA. In addition to the show performance, they had their eyes and ears attuned to the technical and atmospheric details of a production, the suitability of the venue, the promotion, the response from the public, and the overall conditions of the event.