Odyssey (Belfast)

The Odyssey is a large sports and entertainment centre situated in Queen's Island, Belfast, Northern Ireland. The area is now known as the Titanic Quarter. It was jointly funded by the Millennium Commission (49%), the Laganside Corporation (11%), the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (18.5%), the Sheridan Group (18.5%) and the Sports Council (3.3%). The centre was completed in 2001, and in the same year it hosted the 2001 World Amateur Boxing Championships. It has also hosted a number of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Live events including "RAW" and "SmackDown!", and played host to on June 16 2007.

As well as these high profile sporting events, the Odyssey has also hosted concerts by some of the best selling and most popular music artists in the world including Kylie Minogue, George Michael, Shania Twain, Rihanna, Kanye West, Girls Aloud, Dolly Parton, Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears and Beyonce. As of May 2008, Westlife will have played a record breaking 50 concerts in the Odyssey since 2001.

The Odyssey was short-listed for 'International Large Venue of the Year' (Outside of North America) in the 2005 Pollstar Concert Industry Awards making it one of the top six major concert venues in the world [http://www.pollstaronline.com/CIC2006/Awards17/awardscategories.htm] [http://www.odysseyarena.com/latestnews-archive.asp?newsID=163] .

It is made up of four main parts:
*The Arena – Ireland's biggest indoor stadium, with a capacity of 14,000 for concerts [http://www.theodyssey.co.uk/arena.htm] , hosts concerts and sporting events such as Belfast Giants matches.
*W5 – stands for "Who, What, Where, When, Why". W5 is a much praised science exhibition demonstrating the powers of science.
*The Pavilion – contains bars, restaurants, nightclubs and a Storm (formerly Vue) 12–screen multiplex.
*The Sheridan IMAX – the first 3D IMAX in Northern Ireland, which has screened among other things "Titanic" and "Ghosts of the Abyss".
*The Pavilion also plays host to Cool FM's "Cool Pod" which broadcasts live on Friday and Saturday nights.

External links

* [http://www.theodyssey.co.uk/ Official site]