Belgrade Arena

Infobox_Arena
arena_name = Beogradska Arena
Београдска арена
nickname =


location = Bulevar Arsenija Čarnojevića 58, New Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia | opened = Saturday, 31 July 2004 | closed =
demolished =
owner = City of Belgrade
operator = "Arena Beograd" d.o.o.
construction_cost = €70 Million
architect = Vlada Slavica
former_names =
tenants = No Regular Tenants
former_tenants =
seating_capacity = 19,982-23,000 [http://www.arenabeograd.com/en/nodes/show/28/about-the-arena Belgrade Arena ~ About the Arena ] ]

Belgrade Arena (Serbian: "Београдска арена" / "Beogradska arena") is one of the largest European multi functional indoor sport arenas located in Belgrade, Serbia. It is designed as a universal hall for many sports events, including basketball, handball, volleyball, tennis, athletics, and a hall for cultural events and other programs. With the total space that covers 48,000 square metres [ [http://www.beograd.org.yu/cms/view.php?id=44326 Grad Beograd ] ] , and a total capacity of up to 23,000 seats (for handball events; standard 20,000 seats), it is among the largest indoor arenas in Europe. Its cost is estimated at €70 million [http://www.novosti.co.yu/code/navigate.php?Id=13&status=jedna&vest=100673&datum=2007-03-05 Novosti | Vecernje novosti | Sport ] ] . Belgrade Arena was the venue of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest.http://www.eurovision.tv/addons/2008/index.htm]

History

In 1989, The City of Belgrade was chosen to host the Basketball World Championship of 1994 [http://www.24sec.net/article.asp?index=175 24sec.net - Basketball News - Diamond Ball preview! ] ] . However, there was a condition for the city to build an all-new basketball arena. The city government immediately started a competition to find the best design of the new arena that was supposed to have a seat capacity of 20,000. The design submitted by Belgrade architect Vlada Slavica was chosen as the best.

In 1991 a location for the project was chosen – "Block 25" in New Belgrade. However the project was already becoming problematic. There were only 3 years left to the World Championships and building this mega structure would have to be done in record time. A team of 126 companies was formed to be part of the arena committee. Two architects were chosen to design the arena's roof.

In 1992 construction started as the arena committee formed a partnership with American company HOK that has had many experiences with building sporting objects. However, tough times were ahead. As the disintegration of Yugoslavia started, the United Nations imposed sanctions on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (made up of the two remaining republics at the time - Serbia and Montenegro) and HOK stopped all co-operation with the arena committee. Even with this set back, work on the Belgrade Arena continued.

In 1993 Serbia went through one of its blackest years in modern history. The country experienced record inflation rates, and as a result of the sanctions and the conflicts in Yugoslavia, Belgrade lost the right to host the 1994 Basketball World Championships.

Following the formal announcement by FIBA, the arena's construction still continued for some time, though at a considerably slower pace due to the lack of material. However, sometime in 1995 the construction completely stopped. Work on the arena re-commenced in 1998 as the city was chosen to host the world table tennis competition in 1999 to be held in the Belgrade Arena. By this time the roof was already taking shape towards completion, part of the façade was done and the interior was half complete. Once again, Yugoslavia lost the privilege to host the competition as the city was bombed by NATO forces the year the competition was supposed to be held.After a change of government in Yugoslavia in 2000 and the dropping of all sanctions imposed on the country, the Arena, under new management was completed by 2004 in time for the Diamond ball tournament and Belgrade finally got the right to host The European Basketball Championship 2005 [http://www.arhiva.serbia.sr.gov.yu/news/2002-03/09/323020.html Serbian Government >> News >> Sports >> Belgrade to host EuroBasket 2005 ] ] .

Temporary license for public use expired in early 2006, following a series of sport events and concerts in 2005. Works on an automated fire prevention system and installation of elevators to meet European standards were completed by November 2006, while no events were held in the Arena in the meantime. The Belgrade Arena received its permanent public use license on November 4, 2006 and re-opened its doors as a result [http://www.novosti.co.yu/code/navigate.php?Id=13&status=jedna&vest=100673&datum=2007-03-04 Novosti | Vecernje novosti | Sport ] ] .

The most visited event in the Arena (as of December 2007) was the Zdravko Čolić concert held in October 2005 which accommodated up to 25,000 people. The most visited event by an international star was the 50 Cent concert in November 2006 which bought in 18,000 people.

In February 2007, Serbian basketball coach Božidar Maljković started an initiative to name the Arena after another renowned Serbian basketball coach, Aleksandar Nikolić. Maljković presented his initiative to the city officials and the president of Serbia Boris Tadić, but the name change hasn't been accepted yet [http://www.blic.co.yu/stara_arhiva/arhiva/2007-02-08/strane/sport.htm „Areni“ dati ime „Profesor Aleksandar Nikolić“] ] .

The Belgrade Arena has been given the honour to be the venue of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in May 2008. The Arena was host to the 2 semi-finals and the final as well as dress and performance rehearsals. As a result a new multimedia room with latest technology was opened in February 2008 in order to accommodate the technical team that will be in charge of the Eurovision broadcast. The Belgrade Arena was also host to the second Green Fest with performances by Franz Ferdinand, Cypress Hill and The Raveonettes on 2 July 2008.

Events

The first event held in Belgrade Arena was a Socialist Party of Serbia and Yugoslav Left final election campaign rally, held September 20, 2000 before the 2000 elections in Yugoslavia. The construction of the Arena wasn't finished at that time. The official opening came nearly four years later, July 31, 2004, when the "Diamond Ball" basketball tournament was held. Since Arena had only temporary license, only several events were held during the next two and a half years. The first event held after getting permanent license was the 50 Cent concert, on November 6 2006.

One of the biggest events to take place in the Arena was the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. In the final night of the contest an audience of over 20,000 was present. Other big events held in the Arena include numerous sporting events, notably the European championships in basketball (EuroBasket 2005), volleyball (2005 Men's European Volleyball Championship), table tennis (2007 European Table Tennis Championships) and judo (2007 European Judo Championships), the concerts of the most significant artists of Serbia and former Yugoslavia, including the likes of 50 cent, RBD, David Copperfield, Phil Collins, Lenny Kravitz, Rihanna, The Chemical Brothers, Andrea Bocelli, political rallies, product exhibitions and numerous other events...

2009 Summer Universiade

The Belgrade Arena will be one of the 69 venues to take part in the 2009 Summer Universiade Games. The Belgrade Arena will host the table tennis competitions as well as the basketball competition.

Location and influence

The Belgrade Arena is situated on E-70/E-75 highway, leading to Novi Sad and Budapest in the North, Zagreb in the West and Niš and Athens in the South. Arena's parking is limited in spaces, though nearby residential areas provide enough room for vehicles.

It takes a 15-minute drive from Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport to the Arena. Ride from downtown Belgrade would take the same amount of time, unless in rush-hour, when it could take up to 30 minutes to get to central Novi Beograd, where the Arena is located.

The construction of the Arena has caused a substantial increase in prices for apartments in the surrounding area, which are mostly new. A new modern business district is scheduled to be constructed across the Belgrade Arena. Hotel IN was the first new hotel to be built near the Arena however the venue is also within walking distance from Hyatt Regency Belgrade and Continental Hotel Belgrade.

For the first time ever a public concert was held in front of the Belgrade Arena on December 31, 2007 as part of the New Year's Eve celebrations. Another new feature was an ice rink of 800 square metres erected near the Arena which was opened from December 21, 2007 to January 21, 2008. [http://www.pressonline.co.yu/vest.jsp?id=26034 Press Online :: Gradski doček Nove godine na tri bine, prvi put kod Arene ] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.arena.co.yu/en/ Official website]
* [http://www.esiti.co.yu/ Siti Plus]
* [http://www.eventim-yu.com/ Eventim]
* [http://www.ticketline.co.yu/ Ticketline]
* [http://www.tiketservis.com/ Tiketservis (Serbia)]
* [http://www.beograd.org.yu/ City of Belgrade]
* [http://www.beobuild.net/news.php/233.html BeoBuild exclusive report]