Arena Riga

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Arena Riga
Arena Riga Logo.png
Arēna Rīga.jpg
Arena Riga during the 2021 IIHF World Championship
LocationRiga, Latvia
Coordinates56°58′4.65″N 24°7′16.84″E / 56.9679583°N 24.1213444°E / 56.9679583; 24.1213444Coordinates: 56°58′4.65″N 24°7′16.84″E / 56.9679583°N 24.1213444°E / 56.9679583; 24.1213444
Capacity14,500 (concerts)
11,200 (basketball)
10,300 (ice hockey)
Construction
Broke ground17 June 2004
Built1 February 2006
Opened15 February 2006
Construction costLs 20 million
EUR € 28.5 million
Architect
  • SCI Architects
  • SIA Merks
  • SIA Nams
General contractorSIA Merks
Tenants
Latvia men's national ice hockey team (2006–present)
Latvia men's national basketball team (2006–present)
Latvia women's national basketball team (2006–present)
Dinamo Riga (KHL) (2008–present)
BC VEF Rīga (2009–present)
Riga Masters (snooker) (2014–present)
(2017–present)
Barons LMT (BBL/LBL) (2006–2009)
ASK Riga (BBL/LBL) (2006–2009)

Arena Riga (Latvian: Arēna Rīga) is an indoor arena in Riga, Latvia. It is primarily used for ice hockey, basketball and concerts. Arena Riga holds a maximum of 14,500 and was opened on 15 February 2006.[1]

It was built to be used as one of the venues for the 2006 IIHF World Championship, the other being Skonto Arena. The arena was designed by the Canadian company and Latvian firms SIA Merks and SIA Nams.[2][3]

History[]

Ice hockey match between Canada and Czechia during IIHF WC 2006
Arena Riga during EuroBasket Women 2009.

The 11,000-seat arena was constructed as a requirement for hosting the 2006 IIHF World Championship. Its construction overseen by Latvian Ice Hockey Federation president Kirovs Lipmans was delayed due to disagreements on the construction contract and finding an investor to fund the project. The Baltic Times reported that Lipmans was to blame for the delays, and that he was asked to resign for a conflict of interest in owning shares in the arena's management company.[4]

It has been home to the Latvian national ice hockey team ever since and the Kontinental Hockey League club Dinamo Riga since 2008, as well as the Latvian men's and women's national basketball teams since 2006.

During the years the arena has also hosted many well-known artists from all over the world. A part of the events of the 2006 NATO Summit also took place in the venue.

The arena hosted the matches of EuroBasket Women 2009 and 'D' group of Eurobasket 2015.

Notable events[]

Concerts in Arena Riga[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Arēna Rīga – History". Arēna Rīga. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Arena Riga – Riga, Latvia : SCI Architects". sciarch.com. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  3. ^ SIA Merks. "Multi-functional hall Arēna Rīga – Merks". Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  4. ^ Eglitis, Aaron (8 April 2004). "Hockey arena project in peril". The Baltic Times. Riga, Latvia.Free to read

External links[]

Preceded by FIBA U-19 World Championship
Final Venue
2011 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
N/A (first venue)
 Eurovision Choir
Venue
2017 		Succeeded by
Partille Arena
Gothenburg
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