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When two giants
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The new firm, to be called HOK + LOBB Sport, will employ over 300 people in Kansas City, London and Sydney. With a diverse portfolio of 450 sports projects on six continents, HOK and LOBB will offer unprecedented expertise to rapidly emerging global sports industry. The combined stadium and arena experience includes 50 US major league franchises, 25 European soccer and rugby clubs, including the 110,000 seater, Stadium Australia, the main venue for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and England's new National Stadium at Wembley. "The more we discussed our approach to the future,
it became apparent that both firms shared the same vision. We both wished
to build a true global capability and were equally dedicated to providing
the highest level of professional service and innovation", said Rod
Sheard, Chairman of LOBB Sports Architecture. "Our shared vision is
to offer a state-of-the-art local service, globally, utilising the digital
revolution. HOK + LOBB will be the first sports design firm in history
to offer the combined knowledge from virtually every region of the world,
to anywhere in the world". |
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Through its three offices across the world HOK + LOBB Sport will offer a uniquely fertile environment for innovative sports design. Designers from diverse cultural backgrounds and sports facility experience will interact and collaborate to create stadiums, arenas and entertainment venues that reflect a truly global vision. The catalyst for merger discussions was the close relationship that evolved as HOK and LOBB joined forces firstly on Croke Park in Dublin and lately in the design of a new Wembley Stadium in London - possibly the world's most famous sport and entertainment venue. "Today we become a truly global firm upon whom the sun never sets," said Ron Labinski, HOK Sport Senior Vice President. "This merger is all about serving our clients as virtually every form of spectator experience spreads across oceans and cultures. "Our clients are becoming much more globally-minded and for the new millennium we believe sports entertainment design must be global in its approach and project delivery capabilities," said Paul Henry, Director of LOBB's Sydney office. "It will be a challenging new age of convergence fuelled by digital broadcasting, Internet access, virtual advertising, international leagues and sponsorships that will span all sports and cultures". HOK + LOBB will offer comprehensive planning and design services for sports, leisure and entertainment facilities throughout the world. These consultative services will address every aspect of venue development from initial feasibility studies through to the final stages of construction and post-occupancy. Our specialised sports expertise will be limitless. The merger will be completed through an exchange of stock whereby LOBB's privately held shares will be traded for privately held shares of HOK, the world's largest architectural practice with over 2,500 employees in 26 offices around the world. Both Ron Labinski and Rod Sheard will be directors of the main board of HOK Inc. based in St Louis, Missouri, USA, as well as forming part of the management team HOK + LOBB Sport. "We believe in globalisation at HOK and we believe our clients want
consultants with global reach and experience", said Jerry Sincoff, President
of HOK, "By joining forces with LOBB we have made a significant stride
towards achieving that goal while greatly strengthening our professional
team". |
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he
world's largest sports design firm, HOK Sports Facilities Group based
in Kansas City, Missouri USA, and the prominent international sports
design firm, LOBB Sports Architecture based in London and Sydney, have
merged to create the first world wide sports design practice.
