mrcabman
April 29th, 2008, 05:31 PM
I'm a long time reader of this forum and finally this is my first post. I'd like to write about the renovation of my team's home the PostFinance Arena in Berne, Switzerland.
First some facts about the history of this arena.
1966 new building of Eisbahn Allmend (capacity: 10,000)
1969 adding a roof, expansion of capacity and change of name to Allmendstadion (capacity: 16,648)
1990 rebuilding of the seats (capacity: 16,464)
1996 adding VIP boxes (capacity: 16,771)
2003 change of name to BernArena
2005 adding a new videothron
2005 expansion of the seating capacity (capacity: 16,789)
2007 change of name to PostFinance Arena
2008 rennovation of the complete arena (17,000)
The PostFinance Arena is known to be the most famous hockey arena in Europe with the highest attendance average for the past 7 years (2007/2008 average 15,939).
The project of renovating the old BernArena started when Switzerland was selected to host the WC 2009. The main tenant of the arena, hockeyclub SC Bern, tried to buy the arena from then-owner (City of Berne) but couldn't arrange a price who was acceptable for both sides. After some long discussions between both sides the city finally found an investor who agreed the price of 12,4 Mio. Swiss Francs to buy the arena. Swiss Prime Site (SPS) became the new owner of Bern Arena in July 2007. SPS planned to renovate the arena for 100 Mio. Swiss Francs and to be ready just in time for the WC in May 2009. SPS sold the naming rights for the arena to PostFinance and since August 16, 2007 the former BernArena officially named PostFinance Arena.
Here are the main facts about the renovation of the arena.
Standing terraces and seating capacity
The interior of the arena widely remains the same specially the steep standing terrace with a capacity of over 10,000 people. Due to the remodeling of both terraces behind the goals and the redesign of the VIP zone there will be an additional seating capacity of approx. 1,500. The overall capacity will be around 17,000.
New VIP zone
The existing VIP zone will be completley demolished and be integrated into a new 5 storey high extension. There will be a total of 21 VIP boxes. The amount of VIP seats will be increased about 500. Some restaurants and the new media sector will be located in the extension as well.
Practice facility and service center
The 5 storey high extension will be additionally used as service center. The former deep-set public ice rink give way to an underground practice facility with a capacity of 500 seats and an additional parking lot of 140 for the service center. The public ice rink will be on the new created ground level between the PostFinance Arena and the curling arena. During the summer the new ground level plaza will be used for different events.
Monumental exterior
The outer shell of the PostFinance Arena will be covered with some cube shaped elements which can be illuminated during night time. Additionally the PostFinance Arena will get a new arena logo which will be seen from different angles.
Some detailed facts
Capacity
Lower level
seats 4,352
media seats 116
disabled seating 26
total seating capacity 4,494
Upper level
seats behind the goals 752
VIP seats 596
VIP seats behind the goals 616
VIP boxes (21) 244
disabled seating 26
total seating capacity 2,234
standing terrace away sector 1,000
standing terrace home sector 9,272
total standing capacity 10,272
total seats lower & upper level 6,728
total standing capacity 10,272
overall capacity of arena 17,000
Restaurants / catering
21 VIP boxes
1 restaurant (opend daily)
2 restaurants (opened only on gameday)
11 food stands
Schedule
spring 2008 completion of the structural work for practice facility
and parking lot
spring 2008 demolition VIP zone
september 2008 completion interior of arena
fall 2008 completion restaurant and new VIP zone
spring 2009 completion exterior of arena
fall 2009 completion service center
First some facts about the history of this arena.
1966 new building of Eisbahn Allmend (capacity: 10,000)
1969 adding a roof, expansion of capacity and change of name to Allmendstadion (capacity: 16,648)
1990 rebuilding of the seats (capacity: 16,464)
1996 adding VIP boxes (capacity: 16,771)
2003 change of name to BernArena
2005 adding a new videothron
2005 expansion of the seating capacity (capacity: 16,789)
2007 change of name to PostFinance Arena
2008 rennovation of the complete arena (17,000)
The PostFinance Arena is known to be the most famous hockey arena in Europe with the highest attendance average for the past 7 years (2007/2008 average 15,939).
The project of renovating the old BernArena started when Switzerland was selected to host the WC 2009. The main tenant of the arena, hockeyclub SC Bern, tried to buy the arena from then-owner (City of Berne) but couldn't arrange a price who was acceptable for both sides. After some long discussions between both sides the city finally found an investor who agreed the price of 12,4 Mio. Swiss Francs to buy the arena. Swiss Prime Site (SPS) became the new owner of Bern Arena in July 2007. SPS planned to renovate the arena for 100 Mio. Swiss Francs and to be ready just in time for the WC in May 2009. SPS sold the naming rights for the arena to PostFinance and since August 16, 2007 the former BernArena officially named PostFinance Arena.
Here are the main facts about the renovation of the arena.
Standing terraces and seating capacity
The interior of the arena widely remains the same specially the steep standing terrace with a capacity of over 10,000 people. Due to the remodeling of both terraces behind the goals and the redesign of the VIP zone there will be an additional seating capacity of approx. 1,500. The overall capacity will be around 17,000.
New VIP zone
The existing VIP zone will be completley demolished and be integrated into a new 5 storey high extension. There will be a total of 21 VIP boxes. The amount of VIP seats will be increased about 500. Some restaurants and the new media sector will be located in the extension as well.
Practice facility and service center
The 5 storey high extension will be additionally used as service center. The former deep-set public ice rink give way to an underground practice facility with a capacity of 500 seats and an additional parking lot of 140 for the service center. The public ice rink will be on the new created ground level between the PostFinance Arena and the curling arena. During the summer the new ground level plaza will be used for different events.
Monumental exterior
The outer shell of the PostFinance Arena will be covered with some cube shaped elements which can be illuminated during night time. Additionally the PostFinance Arena will get a new arena logo which will be seen from different angles.
Some detailed facts
Capacity
Lower level
seats 4,352
media seats 116
disabled seating 26
total seating capacity 4,494
Upper level
seats behind the goals 752
VIP seats 596
VIP seats behind the goals 616
VIP boxes (21) 244
disabled seating 26
total seating capacity 2,234
standing terrace away sector 1,000
standing terrace home sector 9,272
total standing capacity 10,272
total seats lower & upper level 6,728
total standing capacity 10,272
overall capacity of arena 17,000
Restaurants / catering
21 VIP boxes
1 restaurant (opend daily)
2 restaurants (opened only on gameday)
11 food stands
Schedule
spring 2008 completion of the structural work for practice facility
and parking lot
spring 2008 demolition VIP zone
september 2008 completion interior of arena
fall 2008 completion restaurant and new VIP zone
spring 2009 completion exterior of arena
fall 2009 completion service center