Ondrej Nepela Arena

Zimný štadión Ondreja Nepelu
Former names	Samsung Aréna T-Com Aréna ST Aréna
Location	Odbojárov 9 Bratislava, Slovakia
Opened	December 14, 1940
Renovated	1958, 1990 - 1992, 2009 - 04/2011
Owner	Mesto Bratislava
Capacity	10 115
Tenants
HC Slovan Bratislava

Ondrej Nepela Arena (Slovak: Zimný štadión Ondreja Nepelu), known as Orange Arena during the 2011 IIHF Championship, formerly Samsung Arena, also known as Slovnaft Arena, is an arena in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is primarily used for ice hockey and it is the home arena of HC Slovan Bratislava. It opened in 1940 and held 8,350 people until its full reconstruction started in 2009. The reconstructed arena is due to open in spring 2011. It will have increased capacity of 10,000 spectators. In the past Samsung arena was called ST Arena and T-Com Arena. So-called "reconstruction" under command of SZLH president's company costs 96 million €.^[1] Beside the reconstruction SZLH president built a new hotel next to arena, which was built without building permit in the beginning.^[2] In this hotel will be accommodated Slovak and Czech ice-hockey players and team staff at the IHWC 2011.

The Stadium is named in honour of Ondrej Nepela, Slovak figure skater who competed for Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and he is the 1972 Winter Olympics figure skating winner.

An NHL pre-season game was held at the Samsung Arena between HC Slovan Bratislava and the Tampa Bay Lightning on September 30, 2008. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime.

It was one of the two hosting venues for the 2011 IIHF World Championship. The stadium's name was temporarily changed to Orange Arena, only for the time of the World Championship being held from 29 April 2011 to 15 May 2011, while the other venue being the Steel Arena in Košice.^[3]

References

1. ^ http://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/5773232/miklos-na-stadion-viac-nedame-len-poziciame.html
2. ^ http://spravy.pravda.sk/pri-zimaku-rastie-aj-sirokeho-hotel-nacierno-f3o-/sk_domace.asp?c=A100322_201117_sk_domace_p12
3. ^ Sme Zimný štadión dostane nové meno. Len na šampionát slovak, 05. 01. 2011

Coordinates: 48°09′36″N 17°08′10″E / 48.16°N 17.13611°E / 48.16; 17.13611