Sportpaleis
| Antwerps Sportpaleis | |
|---|---|
| Sportpaleis | |
 | |
| Location | Antwerp, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 51°13′52″N 4°26′28″E / 51.23111°N 4.44111°E |
| Broke ground | 1932 |
| Built | 1933 |
| Opened | September 11 1933 |
| Renovated | 2010-2013 |
| Expanded | 2013 |
| Owner | Province of Antwerp |
| Operator | nv Antwerps Sportpaleis |
| Capacity |
15,089 (seating capacity) 19,918 (standing capacity) 23,001 (maximum capacity) |
The Antwerps Sportpaleis (Antwerp's Sport Palace), also called Sportpaleis Antwerpen or simply the Sportpaleis, is an arena in Antwerp, Belgium. It is a multipurpose hall where concerts, sporting events, festivals and fairs are organized. The arena was built for sport, especially track cycling, but there is now little sport there, an exception being the Diamond Games tennis.
According to Billboard Magazine, the Sportpaleis is the second most visited event hall in the world, second only to Madison Square Garden.[1] The Sportpaleis is known for performances by both Dutch-speaking and international artists. It also hosts the Nekka-Nacht, the Proximus Diamond Games tennis tournament for women and Pop Poll De Luxe, organised by the magazine HUMO.
The main building is 88 metres wide and 132 metres long and has a roof spanning 11.600 m². Under the stands, there is a wooden cycling track 250 meters long and 8 meters wide. The arena is elliptical and has two floors.
Next to the Sportpaleis is it's sister venue the Lotto Arena, a hall that can accommodate 8,000 spectators.
History
Building started on 11 January 1932. It lasted 21 months: on 11 September 1933, the building was completed, the largest indoor arena in Europe.
On 29 September 1956, road cycling world champion Stan Ockers died a few days after a crash in his 116th performance at the track.
On 19 November 1988, Roy Orbison gave his last performance at the Sportpaleis, performing "You Got It", live, for the first and only time.
Janet Jackson was scheduled to perform during her All for You Tour on 29 November but the show was cancelled due to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Cher performed on June 7, 2004 during her marathon Living Proof: The Farewell Tour.
American pop megastar, Beyoncé performed on her The Beyoncé Experience Tour, on May 19th, 2007. In 2009, Beyoncé confirmed that she will return on May 7th, 2009 for her I Am... Tour. In 2013, tickets for two consecutive concerts on May 14 & May 15, 2013 at the venue went on sale for The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour. Both shows (33,000 tickets) sold out in under an hour; a new record.[2] The first show on May 14, 2013 was cancelled 3 hours before the show and rescheduled to May 31, 2013. [3] [4]
American pop superstar Britney Spears performed here on a stop, during her highest-grossing tour, The Circus Starring Britney Spears, on July 9th, 2009. In 2011, her team confirmed that Britney would return and perform a concert in this arena, on October 8, 2011, for her newest tour, Femme Fatale Tour.
Fleetwood Mac performed on their 'Unleashed' tour 14 October 2009.
Muse performed three sold out shows in the venue on 19 December 2006, 2 November 2009 and 18 December 2012 as part of their Black Holes and Revelations Tour, The Resistance Tour and The 2nd Law World Tour.
Sting performed during his Symphonicities Tour on 13 October 2010, along with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Rihanna came to the Sportpaleis for concerts in October and November in 2011 as part of her Loud Tour, and in 5th and 6th June 2013 as part of her Diamonds World Tour.
On 29 & 30 September 2012,Lady Gaga performed two shows at the arena as part of the worldwide tour, Born This Way Ball.
Some artists who have performed at the Sportpaleis are: Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Prince, Metallica, Lady Gaga, Pink Floyd, Shakira, Usher, Rihanna, AC/DC, Britney Spears, P!nk, Kylie Minogue, Kings of Leon, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Beyoncé, Avril Lavigne, Celine Dion, Scorpions, Spice Girls, The Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, Natalia, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Mumford & Sons and Justin Bieber amongst others.
Jennifer Lopez performed here as part of her Dance Again World Tour on October 14.
Milk Inc have performed there every year since 2006.
Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation celebrated their 15 anniversary with a very special show entitled Elements at the Sportpaleis. They were accompanied by the renowned Il Novecentro Orchestra and some special guests. The concert was held on November 13th, 2012, and was sold out.[5][6]
One Direction performed here as part of their world tour " Take Me Home World Tour" on May 1, 2013
The 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships were held at the Sportpaleis in Early October.
Audience
Billboard Magazine said the Sportpaleis was the second most visited event hall in the world between November 2007 and November 2008, with 1,239,436 visitors. Only Madison Square Garden in New York had more.[1]
The arena can hold 23.001 people afther expansions in 2012 and 2013.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 VRT. "Sportpaleis draws huge crowds". flandersnews.be. deredactie.be.
- ↑ http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/944/Celebrities/article/detail/1576189/2013/02/08/Record-Beyonce-verkoopt-Sportpaleis-twee-keer-uit-in-minder-dan-een-uur.dhtml
- ↑ http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20130514_00581526
- ↑ http://www.gva.be/nieuws/media-en-cultuur/aid1386760/afgelaste-beyonce-show-verplaatst-naar-31-mei.aspx
- ↑ http://www.within-temptation.com/tourdates/sportpaleis-antwerp-b/
- ↑ http://www.within-temptation.com/headlines/elements-sold-out/
External links
| Preceded by Olympic Velodrome Rome |
UCI Track Cycling World Championships Venue 1969 |
Succeeded by Saffron Lane Leicester |
| Preceded by Manchester Velodrome Manchester |
UCI Track Cycling World Championships Venue 2001 |
Succeeded by Siemens Arena Ballerup |