O2 Arena (Prague)

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 Million
Architect	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.

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

AC/DC Aerosmith Alexandrov Ensemble Andrea Bocelli Arakain Avril Lavigne Batsheva Dance Company Beyoncé Black Eyed Peas Bob Dylan Bryan Adams Céline Dion Christina Aguilera Cirque du Soleil Cloud Gate Dance Theatre Coldplay Cypress Hill Deep Purple Depeche Mode Eagles Elán Elton John Eric Clapton Eros Ramazzotti Genesis George Michael Green Day Gregorian Guns N' Roses Gwen Stefani

Holiday on Ice Jean Michel Jarre Joe Cocker José Carreras Judas Priest Kabát Karel Gott Kiss Kylie Minogue Lady Gaga Lenny Kravitz Leonard Cohen Limp Bizkit Linkin Park Lionel Richie Lord of the Dance Luciano Pavarotti Madonna Mamma Mia! Mark Knopfler Carlos Santana Michal David Moby Monkey Business Mötley Crüe Nine Inch Nails No Name Olympic Ozzy Osbourne Paul van Dyk

Pearl Jam Phil Collins P!nk Queen & Paul Rodgers R.E.M. Rammstein Red Hot Chili Peppers Richard Müller Rihanna Riverdance Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation Roger Waters Scooter Scorpions Sensation White Shakira Simply Red Snoop Dogg Spanish National Dance Company Sting The Slade The Sweet Tiësto Tina Turner Tokio Hotel Tom Jones Vanessa-Mae Wanastowi Vjecy Yes Zappa Plays Zappa

Technical facts

Panorama of O2 Arena

• 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

• 

  Interior of O2 Arena

• 

  View from Ocelářská street

• 

  Sazka Arena in June 2007, before Ozzy Osbourne's concert

Sources

• NHL to Play in Prague
• official web pages

References

1. ^ Sazka Arena – the most modern multipurpose arena in the world
2. ^ Final Four single seats sold out
3. ^ "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. 
4. ^ Praha prijde o Sazka Arenu. Stane se z ni O2 Arena – Domaci – Hokej – Sportplus – Aktualne.cz
5. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/26/sazka-idUSLDE72P07H20110326 Czech lottery firm Sazka files for insolvency
6. ^ 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

• Official website of the O₂ arena

Events and tenants
Preceded by Zimní Stadion Eden	HC Slavia Praha Home Arena 2004 – present	Succeeded by Current
Preceded by Olimpiisky Arena Moscow	Euroleague Final Venue 2006	Succeeded by Olympic Indoor Hall Athens
Preceded by Globe Arena Stockholm	IFF World Championships Finals Venue 2008	Succeeded by TBD
Preceded by Hala MOSiR Łódź	CEV Champions League Final Venue 2009	Succeeded by Arena Łódź Łódź

Coordinates: 50°6′17.14″N 14°29′36.59″E / 50.1047611°N 14.4934972°E / 50.1047611; 14.4934972