Arena Armeec

Arena Armeets Sofia
Full name Arena Armeets Sofia MSH
Former names Arena Sofia
Location 1 Asen Yordanov Blvd., Sofia, Bulgaria
Coordinates 42°40′16″N 23°22′9″E / 42.67111°N 23.36917°E / 42.67111; 23.36917Coordinates: 42°40′16″N 23°22′9″E / 42.67111°N 23.36917°E / 42.67111; 23.36917
Owner National Sport Base PLC
Capacity 12,373[1] (can be expanded for concerts and other events)
Surface Parquet
Construction
Broke ground 2 July 2009
Opened 30 July 2011
Construction cost BGN 90 million (around EUR 46 million)
Architect Zheko Tilev
Main contractors Glavbolgarstroy
Tenants
Bulgaria men's national volleyball team
Sofia Open (ATP 250)
Website
arenaarmeecsofia.com

Arena Armeets is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Sofia, Bulgaria. It has a seating capacity of 12,373.[2] For concerts it can grow to 17,000. It was originally called Arena Sofia before the Bulgarian insurance company Armeets purchased the naming rights until 2017. There are 887 parking lots, 614 of them placed in a central exterior parking, 231 placed in near streets and 42 designated for disabled people.

Designed as a universal hall for cultural events and sports, the arena could host up to 30 types of sports, including basketball, volleyball, handball, futsal, boxing, tennis, weightlifting, fencing and gymnastics competitions as well as concerts.

Major events and notable firsts

The interior of the multi-purpose indoor arena.

The first major concert in the arena was held by Jean Michel Jarre, followed by artists Sade and Amorphis.

The arena has hosted the 2012 European Taekwon-do ITF championship in May, followed by the 2012 Aerobic Gymnastics World Championships in the first three days of June. The city was previously awarded the 2004 edition of the event.[3]

During three days in February 2012 the arena hosted the Cirque du Soleil show Saltimbanco for the first time in Bulgaria.[4] Between 9 and 11 November 2012 it also hosted the travelling ice show Disney on Ice, another debut for the country.[5]

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 was held in the arena on 21 November 2015, the first time a Eurovision event was held in Bulgaria.[6]

Arena Armeets recorded its first sold-out game on 9 June 2012, when 12,501 fans (128 more than the official capacity) came to see the Olympic qualification volleyball match between France and Bulgaria.

List of major concerts

List of major sporting events

References

  1. ↑ http://www.arenaarmeecsofia.com/technical_data/en
  2. ↑ http://www.arenaarmeecsofia.com/technical_data/en
  3. ↑ "2012 Sofia AER World Championships : Homepage". Sofia2012.fig-gymnastics.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  4. ↑ Archived January 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Дисни на лед - Събитие - Арена Армеец София". Arenaarmeecsofia.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  6. ↑ "Junior Eurovision 2015: 21 November in Sofia, Bulgaria". JuniorEurovision.tv. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Archived July 23, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ "Дженифър Лопес - Събитие - Арена Армеец София". Arenaarmeecsofia.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  9. ↑ "Горан Брегович - Събитие - Арена Армеец София". Arenaarmeecsofia.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  10. ↑ ENNIO MORRICONE – THE BEST MOVIE MUSIC COMPOSER OF THE 20TH CENTURY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BULGARIA (ArenaArmeecSofia.com)
Preceded by
Ergo Arena
Gdańsk / Sopot		 FIVB Volleyball World League
Final Venue
2012		 Succeeded by
Polideportivo Islas Malvinas
Mar del Plata
Preceded by
Malta Shipbuilding
Marsa, Malta		 Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Venue
2015		 Succeeded by
Mediterranean Conference Centre
Valletta
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