Wolfbrook Arena Explained

Wolfbrook Arena
City:Christchurch
Country:New Zealand
Location:55 Jack Hinton Drive
Addington, Christchurch
Canterbury, New Zealand
Coordinates:-43.5458°N 172.6011°W
Opened:1998
Owner:Venues Ōtautahi
Operator:Venues Ōtautahi
General Contractor:Charles Luney
Former Names:Westpac Trust Centre (1998–2007)
Westpac Arena (2007–2010)
CBS Canterbury Arena (2010–2014)
Horncastle Arena (2014–2020)
Christchurch Arena (2020–2023)
Address:55 Jack Hinton Drive
Addington 8024
Tenants:1999 Netball World Championships
Mainland Tactix (ANZ Championship) (2008–present)
Seating Capacity:Netball

7,200
Concerts: 8,888

Wolfbrook Arena is an indoor arena in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located in the suburb of Addington. It has gone through a series of name changes, the most recent of which prior to its current name having been Christchurch Arena.

Description

Wolfbrook Arena is New Zealand's second-largest indoor arena with a maximum capacity of 8,888 (depending on event type), it was the largest until the construction of Auckland's Vector Arena in 2007. The indoor stadium is capable of hosting concerts, exhibitions and various sporting events. Provision for international sport and traditional indoor arena events has been integrated into the design requirements.

It has over 6,700 seats for sporting fixtures or, in the concert configuration, the seating can increase to over 7,000.

The Sports and Entertainment complex is located adjacent to the Addington Raceway and Christchurch Stadium and is surrounded by 3,000 car parking spaces. The complex is only 10 minutes from the city centre.

It has been affectionately dubbed 'The Woolshed' by Canterbury Rams basketball fans. Some Christchurch citizens colloquially refer to the arena as the horseshoe, due to its unusual architectural exterior design.

History

Construction company Chas S Luney Ltd built the stadium.[1] The arena opened in September 1998 at a cost of NZ$32 Million. In the first ever sporting match at CBS Canterbury Arena, the Canterbury Rams basketball team suffered a close loss to the Wellington Saints 86–81 in April 1999.

It was built for two main reasons: primarily for the 1999 Netball World Cup in Christchurch, and also because Christchurch was missing out on many concerts and other attractions, because it did not have a suitable indoor arena in the city.

On 18 June 2010, Westpac Arena was officially renamed CBS Canterbury Arena.[2] On 23 July 2014, CBS Canterbury Arena was officially renamed Horncastle Arena.[3]

On 19 September 2020, Horncastle Arena was officially renamed Christchurch Arena.

On 1 June 2023, Christchurch Arena was officially renamed Wolfbrook Arena.[4]

Sporting home teams

Events

Entertainment events

Sporting

Since its opening, it has been host to a number of different sporting events. These include home matches for the Canterbury Rams (basketball), New Zealand Breakers (basketball) and Mainland Tactix (netball) teams. It occasionally hosts international basketball and netball fixtures featuring the Tall Blacks and Silver Ferns respectively. It was also the host of the 1999 Netball World Championships.

It has also been host to a lot of non-regular sporting events. These include various celebrity tennis matches, ice shows, disabled games, karate championships and gymnastics competitions.

In 2007 & 2008 the arena hosted WWE professional wrestling tours, featuring the SmackDown and ECW brands. The arena again hosted a WWE event in September 2017, this time a Raw branded event.

Other uses

The arena plays a key role in the Christchurch economy hosting annual trade shows including the Christchurch Home Show, Women's Lifestyle Expo, Armageddon Expo, and the Go Green Expo.

Christchurch Arena is managed by Venues Otautahi, the same venue management company that manages the Christchurch Town Hall, Apollo Projects Stadium, Airforce Museum of New Zealand and Hagley Oval Pavilion. The combined facilities regularly host a variety of different events

The venue is also used for big gala dinners, lunches, balls, and cocktail parties.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Charles Seymour Luney (Chas), QSO, CNZM 1905 – 2006. Christchurch City Libraries. 5 June 2011.
  2. Web site: CBS takes venue naming rights . Heather, Ben . 19 June 2010 . . 23 September 2011.
  3. News: Meier . Cecile . Arena sponsor 'here for the long haul' . 19 October 2014 . . 24 July 2014.
  4. News: New name for Christchurch Arena . 3 August 2023 . Otago Daily Times . 24 May 2023.
  5. http://www.ccc.govt.nz/MediaReleases/2007/September/28064439.asp "Basketball returns home to Cowles", Christchurch City Council, Media Release
  6. Web site: Lionel Richie and John Farnham NZ Tour at Horncastle Arena – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  7. Web site: Lionel Richie and John Farnham NZ Tour in New Plymouth – stuff.co.nz. stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  8. Web site: Bob Dylan lands in Christchurch – stuff.co.nz. stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  9. Web site: Review: Bob Dylan in Christchurch – stuff.co.nz. Les Kokay – stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  10. Web site: Ed Sheeran – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  11. Web site: Gig guide: Event details – undertheradar.co.nz. undertheradar.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  12. Web site: Ed Sheeran's secret show in Christchurch – stuff.co.nz. Vicki Anderson – stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  13. Web site: Review: Ed Sheeran captivates Christchurch – stuff.co.nz. Vicki Anderson – stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  14. Web site: Ed Sheeran delights fans with secret Christchurch show – nzherald.co.nz. nzherald.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  15. Web site: Ricky Martin – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  16. Web site: Gig guide: Event details – undertheradar.co.nz. undertheradar.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  17. Web site: Tour news:Imagine Dragons conjure up two NZ shows – nzherald.co.nz. nzherald.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  18. Web site: Imagine Dragons to play Auckland, Christchurch – newshub.co.nz. newshub.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  19. Web site: Maroon 5 add extra Australia and New Zealand shows to 2015 tour plans - stereoboard.com. Jon Stickler - stereoboard.com. 23 September 2016.
  20. Web site: Review: Maroon 5 V Tour – stuff.co.nz. James Croot – stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  21. Web site: Iron Maiden – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  22. Web site: Maiden announce details of concerts in New Zealand and Australia in April/May 2016 - ironmaiden.com. ironmaiden.com. 23 September 2016.
  23. Web site: Review: Iron Maiden at Christchurch's Horncastle Arena – stuff.co.nz. Nicole Mathewson – stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  24. Web site: Troye Sivan – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 22 September 2016.
  25. Web site: Concert Review: Passionate Troye Sivan connects with Christchurch crowd – stuff.co.nz. Enya Beynon – stuff.co.nz. 22 September 2016.
  26. Web site: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 22 September 2016.
  27. Web site: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis back on tour, returning to Auckland – stuff.co.nz. stuff.co.nz. 22 September 2016.
  28. Web site: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis live in New Zealand – scoop.co.nz. scoop.co.nz. 22 September 2016.
  29. Web site: Tour information – disney.com.au. disney.com.au. 23 September 2016. 7 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160907210720/http://www.disney.com.au/disney-on-ice/magical-ice-festival/tickets.html. dead.
  30. Web site: Disney on Ice presents Magical Ice Festival – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 23 September 2016.
  31. Web site: Ellie Goulding – eventfinda.co.nz. eventfinda.co.nz. 22 September 2016.
  32. Web site: Ellie Goulding heads to New Zealand for Delirium tour – stuff.co.nz. Hannah McKee – stuff.co.nz. 17 February 2016. 22 September 2016.
  33. Web site: A-ha and Rick Astley announce two New Zealand shows. 16 July 2019.