23 Oct 2009
Construction has started on the Basketball Arena - the largest temporary venue built for any Olympic or Paralympic Games.
The Basketball Arena site where construction has started
During the Games the Arena will have
12,000 seats for the Basketball preliminaries and quarter-finals, as well as
Handball semi-finals and finals, and 10,000 seats for Wheelchair Basketball and
Wheelchair Rugby.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has awarded the contract to build
the main structure. The ODA has, or will, award separate contracts for other
elements of the venue’s construction, such as the mechanical and electrical
work, seating and foundations.
As the venue is temporary, there is no
requirement for the Arena after the Games. Barr Construction will own the Arena
structure, and the ODA will ‘rent’ it from them for the duration of the Games.
Afterwards, the contractor will dismantle it and remove it from site to be
reused elsewhere.
ODA Chairman John Armitt said: ‘The Basketball Arena is an important
venue for London 2012 as it will host four Olympic and Paralympic sports and
will house the athletes before they make their way down to the Stadium for the
Opening and Closing Ceremonies.’
A new webcam has also been
launched overlooking the Arena site that gives a front-row view of the
construction on the venue.
See the Basketball Arena
webcam
Read the full media release
