A PLACE of worship for tens of thousands on a Saturday, since opening its doors in 1997 the home of Sunderland AFC has fast-established itself as one of the premier conference and events venues in the region.

It has become a multi-function venue, hosting everything from university graduations, national conferences, outdoor fun fairs to major music concerts.

And with over half a million music lovers having enjoyed the biggest live music events ever held in the North East over the last three years, with the visits of Take That, Pink and Kings of Leon, the stadium has quickly become one of the major concert promoters preferred venues for large-scale music tours.

Whether it’s business meetings, conferences, exhibitions, social gatherings, weddings, party nights or other celebrations, the stadium’s versatility makes it the perfect venue.

A range of modern, stylish suites can accommodate anything from 10 to 1,000 guests and the first-class food and beverage options, specially created by a team of top chefs, make the Stadium of Light a venue unrivalled in the North East.

Events are tailored to suit the individual requirements of individuals and businesses and the dedicated and professional staff manage the day to make sure everything runs smoothly.

And it is this perfect combination of superb facilities, first-class service and top flight football that make match days quite simply in a league of their own.

Boxes with awe-inspiring views of the pitch, stunning suites and relaxing bars overlooking the River Wear are all complemented by the finest cuisine and five-star service, making it the perfect environment to do business in.

And with Sunderland looking to capitalise on last season’s top 10 finish, manager Steve Bruce has added a host of stars to his squad including Manchester United duo John O’Shea and Wes Brown and rising starlets Connor Wickham and Ji Dong Won.

Off the field, the club is racking up an impressive array of awards including Business Tourism Gold Award Winner at the North East England Tourism Awards, North East Business Awards, Learning, Training & Skills Award Winner, Durham & Wearside, British Chamber of Commerce Award for Excellence in People Development, Enjoy England National Tourism Business Tourism, Silver Award Winner and Portfolio Awards Overall Winner, Training Award.

So if you haven’t visited the Stadium of Light yet, for business or pleasure, put it on your ‘to do’ list – you won’t be disappointed.

For more information on what Sunderland’s Stadium of Light can do for you and your business please call 08719 111 555 or 08719 111 500, or e-mail hospitality@safc.com