Bulstrad Arena

BULSTRAD Arena
Multifunctional Sports Hall

The BULSTRAD Arena sports venue.
Full name BULSTRAD Arena
Former names Arena Ruse
Location 1 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: 6,300
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. 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 bought the naming rights 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

Bulstrad Arena hosted three games from Group F of the EuroBasket Women 2017 qualification. The most well-attended of these was played between the national teams of Bulgaria and Greece on November 25, 2015, with around 2,000 people present.

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 British hard rock bands Nazareth and Uriah Heep.[4] World DanceSport Federation's International Open took place in Ruse, Bulgaria on November 21, 2015.[5] Later in the year BULSTRAD Arena hosted a show by Sukhishvili Georgian National Ballet, and Goran Bregović nearly sold-out a concert with over 5,000 attendees. World-renowned pianist Richard Clayderman performed in front of more than 2,500 people at the venue at an event on July 7, 2016.[6]

List of future events

References

  1. ↑ "Булстрад Арена стана събитие номер 1 за Русенци". Bulstrad arena. 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Арена Русе" стана "БУЛСТРАД Арена"". Bulstrad arena. 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "България с три нови зали". presa.bg. 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Рок динозаврите "Назарет" идват за Green Rock Fest в Русе". ruse.actualno.com. 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "World Dance Federation Event in Ruse, Bulgaria". 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Ричард Клайдерман покори Русе". 24 Chasa. 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
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