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 Arena Birmingham in July 2024 | |
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| Former names | National Indoor Arena (1991–2014) Barclaycard Arena (2014–2017) Arena Birmingham (2017–2020) |
|---|---|
| Address | King Edwards Road BirminghamB1 2AAEngland |
| Coordinates | 52°28′47″N01°54′54″W / 52.47972°N 1.91500°W /52.47972; -1.91500 |
| Owner | NEC Group |
| Capacity | 15,800 (arena)[1] 6,825 (B1) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 4 October 1991 |
| Renovated | 2013–14 |
| Tenants | |
| All England Open Badminton Championships Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix | |
| Website | |
| Venue website | |
Building details | |
| General information | |
| Renovation cost | £26 million |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect(s) | Broadway Malyan |
| Structural engineer | Rodgers Leaske |
| Services engineer | Hulley & Kirkwood |
| Other designers |
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| Main contractor | Royal BAM Group |
Utilita Arena Birmingham (previously known asArena Birmingham,The Barclaycard Arena, originally as theNational Indoor Arena and still commonly calledThe NIA) is an indoor arena and sporting venue in centralBirmingham, England. It is owned by parent company theNEC Group. When it was opened in 1991, it was the largest indoor arena in the UK.[2]
The arena is located alongside theBirmingham Canal Navigations Main Line'sOld Turn Junction and opposite theNational Sea Life Centre inBrindleyplace. The building straddles the mainBirmingham to Wolverhampton Intercity railway line (originally theStour Valley Line), but does not have a station of its own. There are three adjoining car parks with a total of 2,156 spaces. Close to the arena isThe ICC which is also owned by the NEC Group.
It is currently thefourth-largest indoor arena in the United Kingdom by capacity. In 2019, the arena had ticket sales of 530,597, which was the 4th highest in the United Kingdom.[3]
The arena was officially opened, as the National Indoor Arena, on 4 October 1991 by the athleteLinford Christie.[4] When it was opened, the arena was intended to be an indoor sporting venue.[5] However, the venue began to host entertainment events shortly after opening.[6]
The arena currently hosts a variety of events including concerts, sporting events and conferences.[7] It has a capacity of up to 15,800 using both permanent seating and temporary seating configurations.[8]
The arena was renamed after it underwent an extensive renovation which was completed at the end of 2014.Michael Bublé opened the renovated arena on 2 December 2014.[9]
In 2018 the arena had ticket sales of 497,443, which was the 4th highest in the United Kingdom.[10]
In 2012 plans to refurbish and renovate the NIA were approved byBirmingham City Council. The plans included creating a showpiece entrance from the canal-side, three "sky needle" light sculptures, a new glazed facade fronting the canal and new pre-show hospitality elements. The design was by the architecture firmBroadway Malyan and the building contract was awarded toRoyal BAM Group in 2013 with a projected finishing date of Winter 2014.[13]
The £26 million redevelopment began in June 2013. The redeveloped arena was officially opened with a performance by singerMichael Bublé on 2 December 2014.[14] It was renamed the "Barclaycard Arena" in November 2014 afterBarclaycard won the naming rights for five years,[15] but in May 2016 it was announced that the naming deal would end early,[16] and from September 2017 it would be named Arena Birmingham.[17]
On 16 January 2020, it was announced that the arena will be renamed Utilita Arena Birmingham from 15 April 2020.[18]
The arena has been used for several major events in the past, including counting no fewer than eight constituencies in the hall for the1992 general election.[19]
| Year | Name | Ticket sales | Gross sales (USD) | Worldwide rank | UK rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Arena Birmingham | 530,597[3] | 40,489,480 | 36 | 4 |
| 2018 | 497,443[22] | 29 | 4 | ||
| 2017 | 642,922[23] | 17 | 5 | ||
| 2016 | Barclaycard Arena | 422,619[24] | 31 | 4 | |
| 2015 | 425,241[25] | 36 | 9 |
Parent companyThe NEC Group also owns and operates theICC Birmingham in central Birmingham, and theNational Exhibition Centre (NEC) andbp pulse LIVE (previously Resorts World Arena, Genting Arena and LG Arena), based on The NEC site in nearbySolihull.[26]
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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