Arena Riga
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; 24.1213444
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) (2008–2022)
BC VEF Rīga (2009–present)
Riga Masters (snooker) (2014–2019)
LNK Fight Night (2017–2020)
Barons LMT (BBL/LBL) (2006–2009)
ASK Riga (BBL/LBL) (2006–2009)
BC Prometey (Eurocup) (2022-present)

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 SCI Architects and Latvian firms SIA Merks and SIA Nams.[2][3]

History

Ice hockey match between Latvia and Sweden during IIHF WC 2023
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, EuroBasket Women 2019 and 'D' group of Eurobasket 2015.

The arena will host matches for the EuroBasket 2025 including the final phase.

It will also host matches for the UEFA Futsal Euro 2026.

Notable events

Concerts in Arena Riga

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Arēna Rīga – History". Arēna Rīga. Archived from the original on 8 February 2005. 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". Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  4. ↑ Eglitis, Aaron (8 April 2004). "Hockey arena project in peril". The Baltic Times. Riga, Latvia.Free access icon
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