Sydney Super Dome

Allphones Arena

Exterior of arena
Former names Sydney SuperDome (1999-2006)
Acer Arena (2006-2011)
Location Olympic Park, Sydney, NSW
Coordinates 33°51′S 151°04′E / 33.850°S 151.067°ECoordinates: 33°51′S 151°04′E / 33.850°S 151.067°E
Owner Nine Entertainment
Operator AEG Ogden
Capacity Total: 21,032
Basketball / Netball: 18,200
Construction
Broke ground September 1997
Opened 4 October 1999
Construction cost A$200 million
Architect Abigroup Ltd & Obayashi Corporation
Structural engineer Taylor Thomson Whitting
Tenants
Sydney Kings (NBL) (1999-2000)
Sydney Swifts (CBT) (2001-2008)
NSW Swifts (ANZ Championship) (2008-present)
Website
www.allphonesarena.com.au

Allphones Arena is a large entertainment and sporting complex located in Sydney, Australia. It is situated in Sydney Olympic Park, and was completed in 1999 as part of the facilities for the 2000 Summer Olympics. The AU$190‑million facility was designed and constructed by Abigroup Ltd and Obayashi Corporation with environmental factors in mind;[1] however, the air-conditioner unit for the facility used HCFCs and was said to be a breach of the Green Guidelines for the Olympics. Bob Carr, premier of New South Wales, officially opened the stadium in November 1999.[1]

The development of the stadium was part of three subsites which also included a 3,400-space carpark which cost A$25 million,[1] and a plaza with external works, also costing $25 million.[1] The roof's masts reach 42 metres (138 ft) above ground level, and the stadium occupies a site of 20,000 m2 (220,000 sq ft; 4.9 acres).[1]

The arena is ranked in the top 10 arenas worldwide.[1] For three consecutive years the venue has been a finalist for the Billboard Touring Awards in the top venue category.[2]

The arena has a total capacity of 21,000 with a seating capacity of around 18,000 making the Super Dome the largest permanent indoor sports and entertainment venue in Australia.

Stadium name history

The arena was known as the Sydney SuperDome from opening in 1999 until 11 May 2006 when it was renamed Acer Arena as part of a naming rights deal.[3][4] The naming rights were subsequently purchased by Allphones, the new name taking effect from 1 September 2011.[5]

Events

Capable of holding 21,000 people, the arena is the largest permanent indoor venue in Australia.[1]

The arena is home to many major entertainment and conference events and is a venue of choice for major entertainment promoters.

Regular/annual events

Panorama of Acer Arena before a Metallica concert in 2010

Notable occasional events

In 1999, a league record 17,800 spectators attended a NBL match between the Sydney Kings and West Sydney Razorbacks. As of March 2014 this remains the largest attendance for any basketball game played in Australia.[9]

During the 2000 Games, the venue hosted the men's and women's basketball finals, and the artistic and trampoline gymnastics events.[10] In the men's basketball, the Bronze medal playoff won by Lithuania 89-71 over Australia, and Gold Medal playoff, won by the United States 85-75 over France, drew 14,833 fans to the arena.[11]

In 2001 the SuperDome was the host of the ATP World Tour Finals Tennis Masters Cup won by Australian World number one men's tennis player Lleyton Hewitt, defeating Frenchman Sébastien Grosjean in the Final 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.[12]

On 13 November 2004, the SuperDome attracted the record attendance for a netball game in Australia when 14,339 turned out to see the Australian Netball Diamonds defeat the New Zealand Silver Ferns 54-49.[13]

On 28 July 2008, an ANZ Championship record 12,999 fans saw the New South Wales Swifts defeat the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 65-56 in the ANZ Championship Grand Final at the Acer Arena.

On 3 July 2009, Chinese pop singer Jay Chou came to Sydney to perform an one off concert. It managed to become the number one box office record holder for Allphones Arena, and has stayed in this position ever since. In that concert he broke 11 records in Australia including largest audience (15,200), highest total sponsored amount and highest production cost ($480 000). The box office reached an astronomical amount of $2.6 million USD out-grossing Beyonce and The Eagles placing him at rank 2 worldwide.[14]

On 17 November 2014, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, addressed Indians residing in Australia.[15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Acer Arena - History". Retrieved 2011-04-04.
  2. ↑ http://www.themusicnetwork.com/music-news/live/2011/11/10/australia-nominated-twice-in-touring-awards/
  3. ↑ "Sydney SuperDome to become Acer Arena". Sydney Olympic Park Authority. 28 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
  4. ↑ "Sydney SuperDome is now Acer Arena!". 22 March 2006. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  5. ↑ "New naming rights sponsor for Allphones Arena". sopa.nsw.gov.au. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Hillsong Conference".
  7. ↑ "Aria Awards".
  8. ↑ "Allphones Arena Hosts 2011 ARIA Awards". Australasian Leisure Management. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  9. ↑ "Attendance Records". austadiums.com. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  10. ↑ 2000 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. p. 390.
  11. ↑ Norwood, Robyn (1 October 2000). "U.S. Is Lucky to Escape Alive". latimes.com. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  12. ↑ Harman, Neil (18 November 2001). "Hewitt bandwagon surges on". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "A TRUE trans-Tasman GF for netball`s inaugural season". nswswifts.com.au. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  14. ↑ http://my247.com.au/sydney/Allphones-Arena/whats-on/Jay-Chou.311113
  15. ↑ Wade, Matt (17 November 2014). "Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi draws thousands to Sydney Olympic Park". smh.com.au. Retrieved 23 November 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sydney Super Dome.
Events and tenants
Preceded by
Pavilhão Atlântico
Lisbon		 ATP World Tour Finals
Venue
2001 		Succeeded by
New International Expo Center
Shanghai