Glasgow's Emirates Arena opens doors to the public
by Aoife Dowling | 09 Oct 2012
More than 100,000 visitors attended the opening weekend of Glasgow's new Emirates Arena.
The sports arena, which opened its doors on 5 October, will play host to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The 10.5-hectare arena is located beside the Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village and the Celtic Park.
It will include an indoor sports arena, three sports halls with 12 badminton courts, four outdoor five-a-side football pitches, an outdoor 1km cycle circuit, a Glasgow Club health and fitness centre and a spa.
The Emirates Arena, which was named under a £5m sponsorship deal with Emirates airline, will host the badminton and track cycling events during the Commonwealth Games the arena.
Glasgow City Council and SportScotland funded the £113m project.
The venue also includes the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome named in honour of the six time Olympic gold medallist and designed by Ralf Schuermann.
Schuermann was also responsible for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games cycling venue.
The venue - Glasgow's first indoor velodrome - has a seated capacity of 2,000, which can be increased to 4,000 seated with 500 standing during major events. The indoor arena has the capacity of holding up to 7,000.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, said it is a world-class venue that will be the new home of indoor sport in Scotland.
Matherson said: "Today marks the dawn of a new era for Scottish sport as we officially open the Emirates Arena.
"By investing in new facilities such as this we will help inspire a generation to become more involved in sport."
The Glasgow venue will be the second UK sporting arena to be sponsored by - and named after - the UAE-based Emirates airline following the Emirates Stadium (home of Arsenal FC) in North London.
More than 100,000 visitors attended the opening weekend of Glasgow's new Emirates Arena. The sports arena, which opened its doors on 5 October, will play host to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The 10.5-hectare arena is located beside the Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village and the Celtic Park. It will include an indoor sports arena, three sports halls with 12 badminton courts, four outdoor five-a-side football pitches, an outdoor 1km cycle
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