The Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena is located within the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland. It has hosted many athletics competitions including the 1990 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the Aviva International Match since 1988.[1]
Contents |
Built in the West End of Glasgow, near the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, it was completed in 1927. The previous building on the site was originally built as the Industrial Hall for the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition at Kelvingrove Park and burnt down in 1925.
It was originally used to house large scale exhibitions, including the Industrial exhibitions of the Festival of Britain in 1951. Over the decades it has also hosted motor shows, modern homes exhibitions and the world renowned Kelvin Hall Circus. Lions, tigers and African elephants all thrilled Glaswegians for years and many to this day can remember that distinctive aroma when walking round the carnival after their circus visit.
However once the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre opened, the building needed modernisation and is currently home to both the International Sports Arena and the Glasgow Museum of Transport.
The Kelvin Hall houses an indoor international sports arena, which has hosted many international athletic events, as well as boxing, and badminton competitions. The venue is also the home arena for Glasgow Rocks who compete in the British Basketball League. The Rocks have played at 1,200 capacity Kelvin Hall since 2008, following a move from the Braehead Arena though there are plans to move to the 5,000-capacity National Indoor Sports Arena once construction has been completed in 2012.
| Preceded by Houtrust Hague |
European Indoor Championships in Athletics Venue 1990 |
Succeeded by Palasport di Genoa Genoa |