Samsung Arena
Encyclopedia
Ondrej Nepela Arena known as Orange Arena during the 2011 IIHF Championship, formerly Samsung Arena, also known as Slovnaft Arena, is an arena
in Bratislava
, Slovakia
. It is primarily used for ice hockey
and it is the home arena of HC Slovan Bratislava
. It opened in 1940 and held 8,350 people until its full reconstruction started in 2009. The reconstructed arena is due to open in spring 2011. It will have increased capacity of 10,000 spectators. In the past Samsung arena was called ST Arena and T-Com Arena. So-called "reconstruction" under command of SZLH president's company costs 96 million €. Beside the reconstruction SZLH president built a new hotel next to arena, which was built without building permit in the beginning. In this hotel will be accommodated Slovak and Czech ice-hockey players and team staff at the IHWC 2011.
The Stadium is named in honour of Ondrej Nepela
, Slovak figure skater
who competed for Czechoslovakia
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and he is the 1972 Winter Olympics
figure skating winner.
An NHL
pre-season game was held at the Samsung Arena between HC Slovan Bratislava and the Tampa Bay Lightning
on September 30, 2008. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime.
It was one of the two hosting venues for the 2011 IIHF World Championship. The stadium's name was temporarily changed to Orange Arena, only for the time of the World Championship being held from 29 April 2011 to 15 May 2011, while the other venue being the Steel Arena
in Košice
.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. It is primarily used for ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and it is the home arena of HC Slovan Bratislava
HC Slovan Bratislava
Hockey Club Slovan Bratislava is a professional ice hockey team in the Slovak Extraliga from the Slovak capital Bratislava. They play their home games at Samsung Arena....
. It opened in 1940 and held 8,350 people until its full reconstruction started in 2009. The reconstructed arena is due to open in spring 2011. It will have increased capacity of 10,000 spectators. In the past Samsung arena was called ST Arena and T-Com Arena. So-called "reconstruction" under command of SZLH president's company costs 96 million €. Beside the reconstruction SZLH president built a new hotel next to arena, which was built without building permit in the beginning. In this hotel will be accommodated Slovak and Czech ice-hockey players and team staff at the IHWC 2011.
The Stadium is named in honour of Ondrej Nepela
Ondrej Nepela
Ondrej Nepela was an Olympic gold medalist and three-time World champion Slovak figure skater who competed for Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s and early 1970s.-Career:...
, Slovak figure skater
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
who competed for Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and he is the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
figure skating winner.
An NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
pre-season game was held at the Samsung Arena between HC Slovan Bratislava and the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
on September 30, 2008. Tampa Bay won 3-2 in overtime.
It was one of the two hosting venues for the 2011 IIHF World Championship. The stadium's name was temporarily changed to Orange Arena, only for the time of the World Championship being held from 29 April 2011 to 15 May 2011, while the other venue being the Steel Arena
Steel Aréna
Steel Aréna – Košický štadión L. Trojáka is the new home arena of the ice hockey club HC Košice....
in Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
.