Ondrej Nepela Arena

The Ondrej Nepela Arena (Slovak: Zimný Štadión Ondreja Nepelu) (also known as Orange Arena during the 2011 IIHF Championship and later as Tipos Aréna, previously Slovnaft Arena, for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is primarily used for ice hockey and it is the home arena of the HC Slovan Bratislava.

Ondrej Nepela Arena
Zimný štadión Ondreja Nepelu
Former namesST Aréna (2004–2006)
T-Com Aréna (2006–2007)
Samsung Aréna (2007–2010, 2011)
Orange Arena (2011)
Slovnaft Arena
LocationOdbojárov 9
Bratislava, Slovakia
Coordinates48°09′36″N 17°08′10″E
OwnerCity of Bratislava
Capacity10,055 (Ice hockey)
10,200 (concert)
Construction
Broke groundOctober 28, 1939
OpenedDecember 14, 1940
Renovated
  • 1948–1949
  • 1957
  • 1989–1992
  • 2018
Rebuilt2009–2011
Construction costRebuild: $108 million
($154 million in 2023 dollars[1])
ArchitectKamil Gross, Arnošt Adámek, Juraj Uhlíř and Horváth Eduard
Dušan Fischer (rebuild)
Main contractorsIngsteel (rebuild)[2][3]
Tenants
HC Slovan Bratislava (Slovak Extraliga)

History

Ice rink and original arena
The, now indoor, arena in 1959; a roof was added in 1957
The old arena in August 2007, before reconstruction

The arena was first opened on 15 December 1940 as the first public artificial ice rink in Bratislava.[4] The first official ice hockey game was played on 21 December of the same year. Between 1948 and 1949, new tribunes were built in order to increase the standing capacity from around 300 to 11,000. In 1957 the open-air venue was covered with a steel structure that required supporting columns,[5] and 4,800 temporary seats were installed with the standing capacity reduced to 7,000.[6]

Another significant renovation took place between 1989 and 1992, in time for hosting the 1992 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships, and following this the arena now had a total of 7,747 seats until its full reconstruction started in early 2009. This time the interior was changed significantly (new seats, locker rooms and technical equipment) and the arena received a new reinforced concrete roof.[7]

Since 29 September 1995 the arena is named in honour of Ondrej Nepela,[8] a Slovak figure skater who competed for Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s and early 1970s and who was the Men's figure skating champion at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.

New modern arena
The new arena and practice rinks under construction (January 2011)

In the period from April 2009 to February 2011, the venue was almost entirely rebuilt and upgraded, in line with IIHF, Slovak, and international specifications and largely funded by the Slovakian government, as part of preparations for hosting the 2011 IIHF World Championships. More than €87 million was spent to install a new steel roof, modernize facilities, build two new adjacent practice arenas, an underground car park and increase the seating capacity from 8,350 to 10,000.[9][7] During the reconstruction phase, 80% of the original building was demolished and the resident ice hockey club HC Slovan Bratislava moved to the Vladimír Dzurilla Ice Stadium in the Ružinov borough of Bratislava.[10]

The reconstructed arena opened in April 2011, with one of the most advanced game presentations, LED scoreboards, and security systems ever built.[11] In addition to the arena, a new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel was built, which mainly served as the accommodation for the foreign teams and staff during the championships. Further improvements to the arena's facilities were carried out in 2018 to improve its ability to host the 2019 IIHF World Championship.[12] The work included an upgraded refrigeration system, a refurbished ice rink with new boards and plexiglas, improved team dressing rooms and other areas, and technical upgrades.[13][14]

Notable events

Sport

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. On October 2, 2011, the arena hosted another NHL pre-season game, this time between HC Slovan Bratislava and New York Rangers who beat the home team 4–1.[15]

An overview of some sport events held in the arena:

  • 1958 European Figure Skating Championships
  • 1959 IIHF World Championship
  • 1966 European Figure Skating Championships
  • 1973 World Figure Skating Championships
  • 1981 FIBA European Championship
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

Music

Transport

Ondrej Nepela Arena is located in the third district of Bratislava, Slovakia. The arena can be approached by tram, trolleybus and bus.[16]

Service Stop Line Walking distance from arena
TramČeská4250 m
Bus N53, X4
TrolleybusTIPOS aréna47, 60, 6120 m
Bus39, 53, 63, 78, 163, N74

Drivers can park directly under the Ondrej Nepela Arena. There are place for 365 cars. An additional 1,300 parking spaces offer the Central Shopping Center, which is approximately 400 m away from the arena. Next 994 parking spaces are under National Football Stadium, which is 300 m away.

  • 2008 IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship
    2008 IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship
  • The main entrance after reconstruction in June 2011
    The main entrance after reconstruction in June 2011
  • 2011 Ball Hockey World Championship
    2011 Ball Hockey World Championship
  • Exterior during the 2019 IIHF World Championship
    Exterior during the 2019 IIHF World Championship
  • 2016 European Figure Skating Championships
    2016 European Figure Skating Championships

See also
  • List of indoor arenas in Slovakia
  • List of European ice hockey arenas

References
  1. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. a.s, SITA Slovenská tlačová agentúra (April 28, 2011). "Ingsteel zrekonštruoval zimný štadión za 73,1 mil. eur". SITA.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  3. "Ingsteel: Štadión sme zrekonštruovali nadštandardne". Pravda.sk (in Slovak). May 22, 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  4. a.s, Petit Press (5 February 2004). "Starý „zimák" mal šatne najprv na kúpalisku". bratislava.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  5. "Grossov zimný štadión". www.historicky.sk (in Slovak). May 15, 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  6. s.r.o, Global24 (January 26, 2018). "Zimný štadión na Tehelnom poli bol kedysi najmodernejšou športovou stavbou v Československu". Bratislava24.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 16 December 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. "Orange Arena". IIHF. Archived from the original on 27 November 2010.
  8. "Architekt Kamil Gross". www.skolske.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  9. "Ondrej Nepela arena reconstruction going to plan". IIHF. 5 November 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  10. "Главная арена хоккейного ЧМ-2011 - 9 Травня 2011 - Стадіонні новини - арени та стадіони світу". stadiums.at.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  11. a.s., Petit Press. "Mikloš: Na štadión viac nedáme, len požičiame".
  12. a.s, Petit Press (February 21, 2018). "Bratislava ice stadium will require €2 million". spectator.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  13. "IIHF - A better Ondrej Nepela Arena". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  14. "IIHF - The world comes to Slovakia". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  15. "Slovan Bratislava prehral s NY Rangers 1:4 - Webnoviny.sk". 2 October 2011.
  16. imhd.sk. "Linky MHD a IDS (17. 10. 2016)". imhd.sk Bratislava.

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