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 Interactive map of Palais Omnisports Marseille Grand-Est | |
| Address | 12 boulevard Fernand Bonnefoy France |
|---|---|
| Location | Marseille |
| Capacity | 5600 (ice hockey) |
| Field size | 60 × 30 metre |
| Surface | 21,487 m2[1] |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 26 April 2007[1] |
| Opened | 11 December 2009[2] |
| Construction cost | € 48 million[2] |
| Architect | Chabanne et partenaires[1] |
| Main contractors | Gagne Construction Métallique Chagnaud Construction SPIE Batignolles/Valérian[3] |
| Tenants | |
| Gabians de Marseille(2009–2012) Spartiates de Marseille(2012–present) | |
ThePalais Omnisports Marseille Grand-Est (French for 'Marseille Great Eastern Multisport Palace'), abbreviated asPOMGE, is amulti-purpose arena primarily used as anice rink, located inMarseille,Bouches-du-Rhône,France. It is the home venue forice hockey teamSpartiates de Marseille.[4] The complex also houses askate park which, at the time of its opening, was billed as the largest such indoor installation in Europe.[5]
It was inaugurated in 2009, and is popularly known asPatinoire de la Capelette after the Marseille quarter it sits in,la Capelette.[2]
Ice availability has historically been an issue in the Marseillemetropolitan area, one of the France's three largest agglomerations.
A semi-permanent 56 × 26 metre rink was built at the Parc des Expositions Marseille-Chanot in the wake of the1968 Grenoble Olympics,[6] which introducedice sports to the broader French public, but it was dismantled in 1974.[6]
A new ice rink, Patinoire du Rouet, opened the same year inside a repurposed fruit packing plant, but it was severely undersized at 40 × 20 metre. The facility closed in 1984 and no other venue would be active in the area until 1993,[6] when a recreational rink measuring 46 × 20 metre opened on Avenue Jules Cantini. However it closed within two years.[6]
Another rink called Megaglace opened in 1994 near the neighbouringcollege town ofAix-en-Provence. Built inside an oldsanitary ware retail space and measuring 42 × 20 metre, it again fell short of the standards expected from a major agglomeration.[7]
Finally in 1998, a sister facility called Megaglace 2 opened inAubagne. Although still relatively spartan, it boasted a small stand and a 56 × 26 metre track, in compliance with minimumIIHF regulations.[6]
In March 2004, themunicipality of Marseille launched preliminary consultations to give the city a suitable ice sports facility as part of a broader urban rehabilitation plan.[8]In March 2005, the project presented by architectural firmChabanne et partenaires was selected.[9] During most of its planning and building phases, it was tentatively known asPalais de la glace et de la glisse de Marseille.[9]
After some delays, the facility was inaugurated on 11 December 2009, under the new name Palais omnisports Marseille Grand-Est.[2] The ceremony was attended byMinister of SportsRoselyne Bachelot-Narquin, and featured an exhibition by formerISU World Championice dancersIsabelle Delobel andOlivier Schoenfelder.[10]
The POMGE cost an estimated €48 million to build, with most of the work split between maincontractors Gagne Construction Métallique,Chagnaud Construction andSPIE Batignolles/Valérian.[3]
At 5,600 in hockey configuration, the main hall is the largest permanent ice rink in France in terms of spectator capacity,[4] which excludes ice capable entertainment venues such as Paris'Accor Arena, regular home of theice hockey Coupe de France final.[11] It features an 1800 m2 Olympic size pad.[3]
The second ice rink is a recreational track, and has an unconventional shape consisting of circular areas and elliptical corridors. It has a surface of 1250 m2.[2]
In addition to the ice facilities, the Palais offers a 3500 m2 indoor skate park forroller skating,skateboarding andBMX activities.[2] It has a capacity of 750 spectators, extensible to 1500.[5]
43°16′55″N5°24′06″E / 43.28207°N 5.40174°E /43.28207; 5.40174