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Arena Birmingham

Coordinates: 52°28′47″N 01°54′54″W / 52.47972°N 1.91500°W / 52.47972; -1.91500
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Arena Birmingham
File:Arena Birmingham Logo.jpg
Map
Former namesNational Indoor Arena (1991–2014)
Barclaycard Arena (2014–17)
AddressKing Edwards Road
Birmingham
B1 2AA
England
Coordinates52°28′47″N 01°54′54″W / 52.47972°N 1.91500°W / 52.47972; -1.91500
OwnerNEC Group
(Lloyds Banking Group)
OperatorNEC Group
Capacity15,800[1]
Construction
Opened4 October 1991 (as National Indoor Arena)
2 December 2014 (as Barclaycard Arena)
1 September 2017 (as Arena Birmingham)
Renovated2013–2014
Construction cost£26 million (renovation)
ArchitectBroadway Malyan (renovation)
Project managerNovus
Structural engineerRodgers Leaske
Main contractorsRoyal BAM Group (renovation)
Tenants
All England Open Badminton Championships
Sainsbury's Indoor Grand Prix
Website
www.arenabham.co.uk
Former logo
The National Indoor Arena in 2005

Arena Birmingham (previously known as The Barclaycard Arena and the National Indoor Arena) is an indoor sporting and entertainment venue in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The Arena, which is owned by parent company, the NEC Group, is situated in central Birmingham. When it was opened in 1991, it was the largest indoor arena in the UK.[2]

The arena hosts a variety of events including concerts, business conferences and exhibitions. It has a capacity of up to 15,800 using both permanent seating and temporary seating configurations.[3] The NIA was officially opened on 4 October 1991 by the athlete Linford Christie.[4]

The arena was renamed after it underwent an extensive renovation which was completed at the end of 2014. Michael Bublé opened the renovated arena on 2 December 2014.[5]

The arena is located alongside the Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line's Old Turn Junction and opposite the National Sea Life Centre in Brindleyplace. Close to the arena is The ICC which is also owned by the NEC Group.

Renovation

In 2012 plans to refurbish and renovate the NIA were approved by Birmingham City Council. The plans included creating a showpiece entrance from the canal-side, three "sky needle" light sculptures, a new glazed facade fronting the canal and new pre-show hospitality elements. The design was by the architecture firm Broadway Malyan and the building contract was awarded to Royal BAM Group in 2013 with an projected finishing date of Winter 2014.[6]

The £26 million redevelopment began in June 2013. The redeveloped arena was officially opened with a performance by singer Michael Bublé on 2 December 2014.[7] It was renamed the "Barclaycard Arena" in November 2014 after Barclaycard won the naming rights for five years,[8] but in May 2016 it was announced that the naming deal would end early,[9] and from September 2017 it would be named Arena Birmingham.[10]

Notable events

The arena has been used for several major events in the past, including counting no less than eight constituencies in the hall for the 1992 general election.[11]

NEC Group

Parent company The NEC Group also owns and operates the International Convention Centre (ICC) in central Birmingham, and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and Genting Arena (previously The NEC Arena and LG Arena), based on The NEC site in nearby Solihull.

References

  1. ^ "Venue Information | Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham". Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Our brands". NEC Group. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Venue Information". Barclaycard Arena. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Birmingham NIA". ActivBirmingham. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Michael Bublé officially launches Birmingham's 'Barclaycard Arena' | Koninklijke BAM Groep / Royal BAM Group". www.bam.eu. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  6. ^ "International firm awarded £24m contract to refurbish Birmingham NIA". Birmingham Post. Birmingham. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  7. ^ Brown, Graeme (29 September 2014). "Michael Bublé to perform as NIA renamed the Barclaycard Arena". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  8. ^ [1] Archived 30 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Barclaycard scraps sponsorship of Birmingham Arena". BBC News. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  10. ^ "Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham changes its name again". Birmingham Mail. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  11. ^ Election 92, BBC, 9 April 1992
  12. ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 1998". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 9 May 1998. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Watch Linkin Park Perform With Chester Bennington for the Last Time". Billboard. Retrieved 21 July 2017