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'{{Short description|Multi-purpose indoor arena located in The O2 in London}} {{About|the indoor arena located in London||O2 Arena (disambiguation){{!}}O2 Arena}} {{Use British English|date=May 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{DISPLAYTITLE:The O₂ Arena}} {{Infobox venue |stadium_name = The O2 Arena <!-- Please do not replace "O2" with "O₂". The subscript is used only for the venue's logo, not when the name is written in other contexts. --> |nickname = |logo_image = [[File:The O2 Arena (London) logo.svg|180px]] |image = [[File:O2 Arena.jpg|250px]] |fullname = |location = [[Greenwich Peninsula]]<br />[[London]], [[SE postcode area|SE10]] |coordinates = {{coord|51.5029|N|0.0032|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} |pushpin_map = United Kingdom London Greenwich |broke_ground = |built = 2003–2007 |opened = 24 June 2007 |renovated = |expanded = |owner = [[Homes and Communities Agency]] |operator = Ansco Arena Limited ([[AEG Live]]) Europe |capacity = 20,000<ref name="telegraph2008" /> |surface = Versatile |former_names = North Greenwich Arena (during the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] and [[2012 Paralympic Games|Paralympics]]) |architect = [[Populous (company)|HOK Sport]]<ref name="architect">{{cite web|title=Transforming a tent into the World's favourite venue|url=https://populous.com/project/the-o2-london/|website=Populous|access-date=13 February 2018}}</ref><!-- Please do not remove the HOK Sport name for Populous-designed projects from the company's 2009 renaming --> |structural engineer = [[Buro Happold]] |services engineer = M-E Engineers Ltd.<ref>[http://www.me-engineers.com/arenas.htm# O2 Arena – ME Engineers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124040655/http://www.me-engineers.com/arenas.htm |date=24 November 2017 }}</ref> |general_contractor = [[Sir Robert McAlpine]] |project_manager = |main_contractors = |tenants = [[2012 Summer Olympics]] (2012)<br>[[2012 Summer Paralympics]] (2012) |dimensions = |website = {{URL|theo2.co.uk}} |publictransit = {{rint|london|underground}} {{lus|North Greenwich}} }} '''The O2 Arena''' is a multi-purpose indoor [[arena]] in the centre of [[The O2]] entertainment complex on the [[Greenwich Peninsula]] in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the second-highest [[seating capacity]] of any indoor venue in the United Kingdom, behind the [[Manchester Arena]], and in 2008 was the world's busiest music arena.<ref name="telegraph2008">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/2788214/The-lemon-Dome-that-was-transformed-into-O2s-concert-crown.html |title=The Lemon Dome That Was Transformed into O2's Concert Crown |last=White |first=Dominic |date=15 April 2008|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=7 May 2011}}</ref> The arena was built under the former [[Millennium Dome]], a large dome-shaped building built to house an exhibition celebrating the turn of the third millennium; as the structure still stands over the arena, ''The Dome'' remains a name in common usage for the venue. The arena, as well as the overall O2 complex, is named after its primary sponsor, the telecommunications company [[O2 (UK)|O₂]], a subsidiary of Spain's [[Telefónica]]. ==History== [[File:The O2 Arena, Prince.jpg|left|thumb|[[Prince (musician)|Prince]]’s stage for his sold-out performance of 2007]] Following the closure of the [[Millennium Experience]] at the end of 2000, the [[Millennium Dome]] was leased to Meridian Delta Ltd. in December 2001, for redevelopment as an entertainment complex. This included plans for an indoor arena.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1717280.stm|title=New life for Millennium Dome|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk|date=18 December 2001|access-date=10 October 2017}}</ref> <!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:O2 Arena Cutaway Image.jpg|left|thumb|Cut away image of [[The O2 (London)|The O2]] showing The O2 Arena within. {{deletable image-caption|Tuesday, 9 July 2013}}]] --> Construction of the arena started in 2003, and finished in 2007. After the interior of the dome had been largely cleared and before building work inside began, in December 2004, the dome was used as the main venue for the annual Crisis Open Christmas organised by the London-based homelessness charity [[Crisis (charity)|Crisis]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4129855.stm | publisher = BBC News | title=Dome sleeps 700 over festive week | date=28 December 2004 | access-date=27 January 2014}}</ref> Owing to the impossibility of using cranes inside the dome structure, the arena's roof was constructed on the ground within the dome and then lifted; the arena building's structure was then built around the roof.<ref name="architect" /> The arena building, which houses the arena and the arena concourse, is independent from all other buildings in the O2 and houses all the arena's facilities. The arena building itself takes up 40% of the total dome structure. The seating arrangement throughout the whole arena can be modified, similar to the [[Manchester Arena]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.audiencesystems.net/admin/presscentre/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=15 |title=wins contract at O2 Arena |publisher=Audience Systems |access-date=7 May 2011}}</ref> The ground surface can also be changed between ice rink, basketball court, exhibition space, conference venue, private hire venue and concert venue. The arena was architecturally built to reduce echoing, a common problem among London music venues.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6225452.stm | publisher = BBC News | title=Dome's hi-tech refit for The O2 | date=21 June 2007 | access-date=25 May 2010}}</ref> ==Events== {{Main|List of events at the O2 Arena}} In August 2007, rock star Prince began a series of 21 sold-out nights at the O2 Arena.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prince at The O2 |url=https://www.nme.com/photos/prince-at-the-o2-1408965 |website=NME |access-date=23 March 2021 |date=16 October 2008 |quote=Caption, pic 2: Prince on his way to an aftershow party following one of his 21 sold-out nights at the O2.}}</ref> The record-breaking run featured many of his hits while the set list changed every night so no two shows would be the same.<ref>{{cite web |last=Thorne |first=Matt |title=Prince makes history with O2 shows |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3668073/Prince-makes-history-with-O2-shows.html |website=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=23 March 2021 |date=22 September 2007}}</ref> On 21 July 2007, British rock band [[Keane (band)|Keane]] played the arena as part of their [[Under the Iron Sea Tour]], and the performance was later released as their ''[[Keane Live]]'' DVD.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} Beginning in July 2009, [[Michael Jackson]] was scheduled to hold a 50-show [[Concert residency|residency]] at the arena, titled [[This Is It (concert residency)|This Is It]].<ref name="Rolling Stone 50 dates, 1 million tickets">{{cite magazine |first=Daniel|last=Kreps |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/03/12/michael-jacksons-this-is-it-tour-balloons-to-50-show-run-stretching-into-2010/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313050408/http://www.rollingstone.com//rockdaily//index.php//2009//03//12//michael-jacksons-this-is-it-tour-balloons-to-50-show-run-stretching-into-2010// |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 March 2009 |title=Michael Jackson's "This Is It!" Tour Balloons to 50-Show Run Stretching Into 2010 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=March 12, 2009 |access-date=March 24, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7941221.stm|title=Michael Jackson tickets sell out |work=BBC News |date=13 March 2009 |access-date=18 August 2019 |language=en-GB}}</ref> However, the concerts were cancelled, as Jackson [[Death of Michael Jackson|died]] on 25 June, eighteen days before the first scheduled show.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sherwin |first=Adam |title=O2 arena counts cost as curtain closes on the greatest show of all |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6580748.ece |newspaper=The Times |date=26 June 2009 |access-date=26 June 2009}}</ref> From 2008, the O2 Arena has hosted [[Capital (radio network)|Capital's]] [[Jingle Bell Ball]] which is an annual mini-festival held over two nights, usually in early December.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} During 2008, the Canadian singer [[Celine Dion]] performed two sold-out shows.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} In 2017 during her [[Celine Dion Live 2017]] tour she performed four sold-out shows.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} In December 2009, the [[Pet Shop Boys]] played a sold-out show at the O2 Arena in support of their album [[Yes (Pet Shop Boys album)|Yes]]'', the last date of the first leg of their [[Pandemonium Tour]]. The concert was later released as a ''[[live album]] and on DVD, ''[[Pandemonium (Pet Shop Boys album)|Pandemonium]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/03747-pet-shop-boys-announce-new-pandemonium-uk-dates|title=New Pet Shop Boys Pandemonium UK Dates |last=Hodgson |first=James |date=17 February 2010 |work=TheQuietus}}</ref> [[File:ATP World Tour Final Tennis at The 02 Arena London.jpg|thumb|O2 Arena hosting a tennis match at the [[ATP World Tour Finals]]]] Since 2009, the arena has hosted the [[ATP World Tour Finals]], the season-ending finale of men's professional [[tennis]], featuring the top eight players in the world. The venue has hosted the event for the second-longest tenure, behind only Madison Square Garden (1977–1989).{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} Cirque Du Soleil hosted [[Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour]] on 12, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 19 October through 21 of 2012.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} During the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] and [[2012 Summer Paralympics|Paralympics]], the venue was referred as the '''North Greenwich Arena''' due to Olympics regulations regarding corporate sponsorship of event sites.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/article/941349/o2-arena-forced-olympic-rebrand-following-sponsor-clash|title=O2 Arena forced into Olympic rebrand following sponsor clash |last=Quilter |first=James |date=28 September 2009 |work=brandrepublic.com}}</ref> [[Ariana Grande]] was scheduled to perform on 25 and 26 May 2017 as part of her [[Dangerous Woman Tour]], but the event was cancelled after the [[Manchester Arena bombing]] on 22 May. The event was not rescheduled. Grande has since then held five concerts at the arena for her [[Sweetener World Tour]] on 17, 19, and 20 August 2019 as well as 15 and 16 October 2019.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} Since March 2013, the arena has hosted [[C2C: Country to Country]], Europe's largest [[country music]] festival, which annually attracts over 20,000 fans. UK and Irish acts, as well as up-and-coming American acts, perform sets several times across various pop-up stages in and around the arena, with the main stage accessible only to ticket-holders. The seventh C2C was held on 8–10 March 2019.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} Since 2014, the Australia-based [[Charismatic Christianity|charismatic Christian]] church [[Hillsong Church|Hillsong]] has held the [[Hillsong Conference|Hillsong Conference London]] at the arena.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/what-is-hillsong-the-gen-z-church-with-a-celebrity-congregation-0zxm7387j |title=Hillsong: the gen Z church with a celebrity congregation |last1=Jones |first1=Allie |last2=Mararike |first2=Shingi |date=5 August 2018 |work=The Sunday Times|access-date=24 June 2019 |language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> ==Ticket sales records== Despite being open for only 200 days per year (the equivalent of seven months), the venue sold over 1.2&nbsp;million tickets in 2007, making it the third-most popular venue in the world for concerts and family shows, narrowly behind the [[Manchester Arena]] (1.25&nbsp;million) and [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York City (1.23&nbsp;million). As of 2020, the O2 Arena was still the busiest music arena in the world in terms of ticket sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pollstar.com/News/2017-year-end-special-features-top-tours-promoters-venues-grosses-134154 |title=''Pollstar'' {{!}} 2017 Year End Special Features: Top Tours, Promoters, Venues, Grosses |date=1 May 2018 |website=[[Pollstar]]}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;" |+ World's busiest arenas, 2017<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pollstar.com/Chart/2018/01/2017YearEndWorldwideTicketSalesTop200ArenaVenues_628.pdf|title=TOP 200 ARENA VENUES 2017|date=31 December 2017 |website=[[Pollstar]]}}</ref> |- !scope="col"| Venue !scope="col"| Number of tickets sold |- !scope="row"| The O2 Arena, London, England, UK |1,443,232 |- !scope="row"| [[Madison Square Garden]], New York City, New York, US |1,167,544 |- !scope="row"| [[Manchester Arena]], Manchester, England, UK |1,072,079 |- !scope="row"| [[SSE Hydro]], Glasgow, Scotland, UK |1,028,934 |- !scope="row"| [[Barclays Center]], Brooklyn, New York, US |936,794 |- !scope="row"| [[Lanxess Arena]], Cologne, Germany |931,394 |- !scope="row"| [[Arena Monterrey]], Monterrey, Mexico |906,290 |- !scope="row"| [[Mexico City Arena]], Mexico City, Mexico |881,665 |- !scope="row"| [[The Forum (Inglewood, California)|The Forum]], Inglewood, California, US |790,728 |- !scope="row"| [[Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid|WiZink Center]], Madrid, Spain |784,699 |} ==Prizes and awards== *2016 Pollstar International Venue of the Year *2016 Billboard Touring Awards: Top Arena *2016 The London Venue Awards: Best Music Venue *2016 The Drum UK Event Awards: Large Venue of the Year *2017 Pollstar International Venue of the Year ==See also== *[[The O2]] *[[Millennium Dome]] *[[Live at the O2 Arena]] *[[List of tennis stadiums by capacity]] ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==External links== {{Commons category|The O2 Arena}} * {{Official website}} * [https://archive.today/20121209051745/http://www.london2012.com/venue/north-greenwich-arena/ London 2012 Olympics profile] {{S-start|header={{S-sta|et}}}} {{Succession box| title=[[ATP Finals|ATP Year-end Championships]]<br>Venue| before=[[Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena]] <br>Shanghai | after=[[Pala Alpitour]] <br>Turin| years=2009–2020 }} {{succession box | title=[[Euroleague]]<br>[[Euroleague Final Four|Final Four]]<br>Venue| before=[[Sinan Erdem Dome]]<br>Istanbul | after=[[Mediolanum Forum]]<br>Milan | years='''[[2012–13 Euroleague|2013]]''' }} {{end}} {{Navboxes|list1= {{O2 Venues}} {{navboxes colour |title= Olympic venues |bg = |fg = |bordercolor = |list1 = {{2012 Summer Olympics venues}} {{2012 Summer Paralympics venues}} {{Olympic venues basketball}} {{Olympic venues gymnastics}} }} {{EAA members}} {{Indoor arenas UK}} {{London landmarks}} }} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:O2 Arena}} [[Category:O2 (UK)|Arena]] [[Category:Venues of the 2012 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Olympic basketball venues]] [[Category:Olympic gymnastics venues]] [[Category:2012 Summer Paralympic venues]] [[Category:Boxing venues in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Basketball venues in England]] [[Category:Indoor ice hockey venues in England]] [[Category:Indoor arenas in London]] [[Category:Sports venues in London]] [[Category:Tennis venues in London]] [[Category:2007 establishments in England]] [[Category:Sports venues completed in 2007]] [[Category:Music venues completed in 2007]] [[Category:Music venues in London]] [[Category:Sport in the Royal Borough of Greenwich]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in the Royal Borough of Greenwich]] [[Category:Netball venues in England]]'