Olympic Park’s Basketball Arena 4th Completed Ahead of Schedule

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) confirmed yesterday, June 9, that the 12,000 capacity London 2012 Basketball Arena has become the fourth venue on the Olympic Park to be completed and one of the quickest to finish construction.

The arena will be one of the largest temporary venues ever used for an Olympic and Paralympic Games and will be dismantled after the Games to be reused elsewhere in other parts of the UK and overseas.

It’s completion has come ahead of schedule and on budget after initial works on the site began in October 2009, with work to erect the 1,000-tonne steel frame starting in March 2010.

ODA chief executive Dennis Hone said: “Completing construction on the Basketball Arena delivers another striking Games-time venue for the Olympic Park and an innovative structure that can be reused elsewhere after 2012.

“As the fourth Olympic Park venue completed and one of the quickest to finish construction, the Basketball Arena is another milestone for the Olympic Park Big Build and a tribute to the companies from across the UK involved in its delivery.”

During London 2012 the arena will stage preliminary matches and women’s quarter finals for the Games’ basketball tournament, in addition to the handball men’s quarter finals, all semi-finals and all medal matches. It will also host wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby during the Paralympic Games.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said: “Basketball is one of the most popular Olympic sports and spectators will be able to see the game played out in spectacular surroundings.

“It is a superb venue which will be the centre of some of the best team action during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics, added: “Basketball is one of the most atmospheric competitions of the Games and this has been captured by the artistic design of the arena.

“The speed with which this venue has been constructed is a tribute to the ODA and the architect whose design means this facility can be reused after the Games.”