- O2 Arena (Prague)
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O2 Arena Former names Sazka Arena (2004 – March 2008) Location Ocelářská 460/2, 190 00 Prague 9 – Libeň, Czech Republic Broke ground September 2002 Built 2004 Opened 27 March 2004[1] Operator BESTSPORT akciová společnost Construction cost 8 billion CZK
€ 347 MillionArchitect ATIP, a.s. – Vladimír Vokatý, Martin Vokatý, Jiří Vít Capacity Concerts: 18,000
Ice hockey:17,360
basketball:16,805[2]Tenants HC Slavia Praha (Czech Extraliga) (2004–Present)
Euroleague 2005–06 (Basketball) (2006)
Herbalife EMEA Etravaganza (2009)O2 Arena (formerly Sazka Arena, stylised as O2 arena) is a multi-purpose arena, in Prague, Czech Republic.
It was built in time for the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.
O2 Arena is easily accessible by public transport, from line B metro station Českomoravská, tram stops and bus stops; a train station "Praha Libeň" is close to the O2 arena as well.
O2 Arena is the home of Czech Extraliga team HC Slavia Praha.
It hosted the Final Four, of the Euroleague, in 2006.
Contents
Recent events
In October 2008, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning opened the 2008–09 NHL season at O2 Arena with two games.
In November 2008, the French electronica pioneer Jean Michel Jarre performed his Oxygène album live at the arena, as part of the second leg of the Oxygène 30th anniversary tour.
In December 2008, the arena played host to the playoff matches of the 2008 Men's World Floorball Championships, including the 7:6 Finnish upset over Sweden.
Sting performed during his Symphonicities Tour on September 22, 2010, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
In early October 2010, the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes played two back-to-back games there to start their regulation season play in the 2010-11 NHL season.
In November 2010 Lady Gaga performed there during her Monster Ball Tour
History
The idea of building a new arena in Prague came on the heels of the "golden era" of Czech ice hockey: winning 3 gold medals in a row. The arena was proposed to be built in time to host the 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, but due to unforeseen complications with the investors,[citation needed] the ice hockey governing body had to switch that tournament to Finland. The arena's main backer then became Sazka a.s., a Czech betting company.
The construction of the arena (which began in September 2002) was not without problems, but it was finally finished in time to host the 2004 tournament, the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.[3]
In March 2008, the building was renamed O2 Arena.[4]
In March 2011, Sazka filed for insolvency due to debts from building the arena. [5][6]
Concerts in O2 Arena
Technical facts
- Number of floors: 6
- Floor space: 35,000 m²
- Capacity: up to 18,000 spectators (depends on action)
- Club and Luxury seats: 2,460
- Skyboxes: 66
- Party Boxes: 4
- Places in bars, restaurants and cafés: 2,900
- Parking: 280 places
- Population of its catchment area: 1.5 to 1.8 million people
Gallery
Sources
References
- ^ Sazka Arena – the most modern multipurpose arena in the world
- ^ Final Four single seats sold out
- ^ "Sazka sports arena opened amid bitter political dispute over money". radio.cz. 29 March 2004. http://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/sazka-sports-arena-opened-amid-bitter-political-dispute-over-money. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
- ^ Praha prijde o Sazka Arenu. Stane se z ni O2 Arena – Domaci – Hokej – Sportplus – Aktualne.cz
- ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/26/sazka-idUSLDE72P07H20110326 Czech lottery firm Sazka files for insolvency
- ^ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/ebc918b0-61ca-11e0-88f7-00144feab49a,dwp_uuid=e8477cc4-c820-11db-b0dc-000b5df10621.html Balls up: Czech lottery ruled insolvent
External links
Events and tenants Preceded by
Zimní Stadion EdenHC Slavia Praha
Home Arena
2004 – presentSucceeded by
CurrentPreceded by
Olimpiisky Arena
MoscowEuroleague
Final Venue
2006Succeeded by
Olympic Indoor Hall
AthensPreceded by
Globe Arena
StockholmIFF World Championships
Finals Venue
2008Succeeded by
TBDPreceded by
Hala MOSiR
ŁódźCEV Champions League
Final Venue
2009Succeeded by
Arena Łódź
ŁódźIIHF World Championship venues 1998: Kolping Arena · St. Jakobshalle · 1999: Håkons Hall · Jordal Amfi · Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre · 2000: Ice Palace · Yubileyny · 2001: Nuremberg Arena · Kölnarena · 2002: Scandinavium · Löfbergs Lila Arena · Kinnarps Arena · 2003: Hartwall Areena · HK Arena · Tampereen jäähalli · 2004: Sazka Arena · ČEZ Aréna · 2005: Wiener Stadthalle · OlympiaWorld Innsbruck · 2006: Arena Riga · Skonto Hall · 2007: Khodynka Arena · Mytishchi Arena · 2008: Colisée Pepsi · Halifax Metro Centre · 2009: PostFinance Arena · Kolping Arena · 2010: Lanxess Arena · SAP Arena · Veltins-Arena · 2011: Orange Arena · Steel Aréna · 2012: Hartwall Areena · Ericsson Globe · 2013: Ericsson Globe · Hartwall Areena · 2014: Minsk-Arena · Chizhovka-Arena · 2015: O2 Arena · ČEZ Aréna · 2016: Megasport Arena · Ice Palace Saint Petersburg ·Ahoy Rotterdam (Rotterdam) · Arena Riga (Riga) · Belgrade Arena (Belgrade) · Budapest Sports Arena (Budapest) · Ericsson Globe (Stockholm) · Főnix Hall (Debrecen) · Forest National (Brussels) · Hallenstadion (Zurich) · Hartwall Areena (Helsinki) · Mediolanum Forum (Milan) · National Exhibition Centre (Birmingham) · O2 Arena (Prague) · O2 World (Berlin) · O2 World (Hamburg) · Olympiahalle (Munich) · Palacio Vistalegre (Madrid) · Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy (Paris) · PalaLottomatica (Rome) · Palau Sant Jordi (Barcelona) · Pavilhão Atlântico (Lisbon) · Saku Suurhall Arena (Tallinn) · Scandinavium (Gothenburg) · Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (Glasgow) · Siemens Arena (Vilnius) · Spaladium Arena (Split) · St. Jakobshalle (Basel) · The O2 (Dublin) · The O2 Arena (London) · Wembley Arena (London) · Wiener Stadthalle (Vienna)
Coordinates: 50°6′17.14″N 14°29′36.59″E / 50.1047611°N 14.4934972°E
Categories:- Event venues established in 2004
- Indoor arenas in the Czech Republic
- Indoor ice hockey venues in the Czech Republic
- IIHF World Championship venues
- Basketball venues
- Kickboxing venues
- Sport in Prague
- Buildings and structures in Prague
- National stadiums
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