Lanxess Arena

Lanxess Arena
Former names	Kölnarena (1998-2008)
Location	Deutz, Cologne, Germany
Coordinates	50°56′20.13″N 6°58′53.12″E / 50.938925°N 6.9814222°E / 50.938925; 6.9814222
Broke ground	July 31, 1996
Opened	October 17, 1998
Owner	Immobilienfonds Köln-Deutz Arena, Mantelbebauung GbR
Operator	Arena Management GmbH
Construction cost	€ 153 million
Architect	Peter Böhm
Capacity	20,000 (concerts) 19,500 (handball) 18,500 (hockey)
Tenants
Kölner Haie (DEL) (1998-present) VfL Gummersbach (HBL) (2001-present)

Lanxess Arena (originally Kölnarena, German for Cologne Arena) is an indoor arena, in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The arena opened in 1998 and can accommodate 20,000 people.

It is primarily used by VfL Gummersbach (team handball), by Kölner Haie (ice hockey) and as a concert venue.

Janet Jackson was scheduled to perform during her All for You Tour on November 19, 2001, but the show was cancelled, due to the September 11, 2001 attacks.

WWE is a regular at the arena, as they hosted events in 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007.

The arena was used for the 2007 World Men's Handball Championship, including the third place game and the final game.

On June 2, 2008, it was announced that Kölnarena would be renamed Lanxess Arena, for a period of ten years.^[1] The sponsor, Lanxess AG, is a specialty chemicals group based in nearby Leverkusen.

Nickelback played their first "warm-up show", for their Dark Horse Tour, here on September 8, 2008.

On June 13, 2009, the Ultimate Fighting Championships held UFC 99 at the Lanxess Arena.^[2] This was the first time the UFC has made its way to Germany.

On May 29–30, 2010, the arena hosted the EHF Champions League Final Four.

The arena was one of the venues for the 2010 IIHF World Championship, including both semi-finals, the Bronze medal game and the Championship game.

Sting performed during his Symphonicities Tour on September 24, 2010, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Pop singer Britney Spears brought her Femme Fatale Tour on October 18, 2011, to the Lanxess Arena for her only german concert.

Image gallery

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  Lanxess Arena exterior view

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  Lanxess Arena inside

Notes

1. ^ Kölnarena to be renamed the "LANXESS Arena"
2. ^ Sherdog.com. "UFC 99 Storms Germany". Sherdog.com. http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/ufc-99-storms-germany-15288. Retrieved 2009-01-21. 

External links

• Official Website

Preceded by Salle Omnisport de Rades Rades

World Men's Handball Championship Final Venue 2007

Succeeded by Arena Zagreb Zagreb

Coordinates: 50°56′18.59″N 6°58′58.63″E / 50.9384972°N 6.9829528°E / 50.9384972; 6.9829528