Bulstrad Arena

BULSTRAD Arena
Multifunctional Sports Hall

The BULSTRAD Arena sports venue.
Full name BULSTRAD Arena
Former names Arena Ruse
Location 3 Lipnik Boulevard
Ruse, Bulgaria
Coordinates 43°50′49″N 25°57′43″E / 43.84694°N 25.96194°E / 43.84694; 25.96194Coordinates: 43°50′49″N 25°57′43″E / 43.84694°N 25.96194°E / 43.84694; 25.96194
Owner 51% privately owned
49% Ruse Municipality[1]
Capacity Sports: 5,100
Concerts: 8,100
Surface Versatile
Construction
Broke ground 1976
Opened 23 July 2015
Construction cost BGN 55 million (around EUR 28 million)
Architect Tanko Serafimov
Main contractors Project Ruse JSC
Website
bulstradarena.com

BULSTRAD Arena (Bulgarian: БУЛСТРАД Арена) is an indoor arena located in Ruse, Bulgaria. It is one of the most modern venues in Southeastern Europe with a seating capacity of 5,100 to 6,300 spectators depending on its use. For concerts it can accommodate up to 8,100 people. Positioned in a convenient location beside the stadium, the arena is within walking distance of the city center and only 1.5 km away from the Ruse Central railway station. The original name was Arena Ruse before the insurance company Bulstrad became a general sponsor for the venue.[2]

History

Projects for the sports hall were first established in 1972 and construction commenced four years later. Work was suspended on numerous occasions throughout the 80s and the end of the socialist period completely terminated all efforts to finish the indoor arena.

Works were unfrozen in 2007 when Ruse Municipality signed a contract with a private investor for the completion of the sports hall by 2010. The investor planned to build a grand shopping mall, as well as a five-star hotel in the area near the sports complex. Construction proceeded rapidly and virtually all ground works and the concrete base of the building were completed. A second, shorter period of inactivity began in 2010 and lasted three years.

Ruse Municipality agreed to purchase the multiple-floor underground parking of the sports hall in 2013 and financed construction with BGN 11 million provided by the national budget.[3] Finishing works to the arena continued for nearly two years. After numerous postponements, the mayor of the city announced an opening date of July 23, 2015 with a concert by renowned Bulgarian singer Lili Ivanova.

BULSTRAD Arena officially opened on July 23, 2015 in the presence of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and numerous government ministers. There are no plans for the construction of either the planned shopping mall or the hotel in the near future.

Sports

The sports hall hosted women's basketball tournaments with teams from multiple European countries.[4] Local team, as well as five-time Bulgarian champion WBC Dunav Ruse chooses to play many of their major games at the arena. EuroBasket Women 2017 qualification game between the national teams of Bulgaria and Greece was held in November with attendance of around 2,000 people.

Other events

Bulgarian singer Lili Ivanova held the first concert at the venue in July 2015. Significant events have included Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance and Scottish hard rock band Nazareth.[5] World DanceSport Federation's International Open took place in Ruse, Bulgaria on November 21, 2015.[6] BULSTRAD Arena hosted a show by world renowened Sukhishvili Georgian National Ballet on December 4. Goran Bregović performed a concert in the venue in front of over 5,000 people.

List of future events


References

  1. ↑ "http://bulstradarena.com/bg/novini/bulstrad-arena-stana-sabitie-nomer-1-za-rusentsi". External link in |title= (help);
  2. ↑ "Арена Русе" стана "БУЛСТРАД Арена"". Bulstrad arena. 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "http://presa.bg/article/Balgariya-s-tri-novi-zali-za-nad-100-mln-lv-/66032/8/0". External link in |title= (help);
  4. ↑ "http://bulstradarena.com/bg/novini/bulstrad-arena-i-dunav-8806-v-strategichesko-partnorstvo". External link in |title= (help);
  5. ↑ "http://ruse.actualno.com/Rok-dinozavrite-Nazaret-idvat-za-Green-Rock-Fest-v-Ruse--news_472965.html". External link in |title= (help);
  6. ↑ "https://www.worlddancesport.org/Event/Group/Ruse_-_Bulgaria_from_21112015_to_22112015-6487". External link in |title= (help);
  7. ↑ "http://bulstradarena.com/bg/sybitiya/monasite-ot-shaolin---mistichnata-sila-na-kung-fu". External link in |title= (help);

External links

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