3Arena facts for kids
 |
|
.jpg)
Exterior view of the arena (c.2017)
|
|
| Former names | The Point, The O2 (2008–2014) |
|---|---|
| Address | North Wall Quay Dublin D1 D01 EW90 Ireland |
| Location | Point Village |
| Coordinates | 53°20′51″N 06°13′43″W / 53.34750°N 6.22861°W |
| Owner | Apollo Leisure Group, Ltd |
| Operator | Live Nation Ireland |
| Capacity | 9,300 (seated) 13,000 (with standing) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 2007–2008 |
| Opened | 16 December 2008 |
| Construction cost | €80 million |
| Architect | HOK Sport |
| Project manager | AECOM |
| Structural engineer | BuroHappold |
| General contractor | DLPKS |
| Main contractors | Walls Construction |
The 3Arena is a large indoor concert hall and event space in Dublin, Ireland. It is located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands. The venue first opened on December 16, 2008, and was known as The O2.
In 2014, its name changed to 3Arena. This happened because the company O2 Ireland was bought by Three Ireland. The 3Arena is owned by Apollo Leisure Group Ltd. It is one of the busiest music venues in the world, based on how many tickets it sells.
The 3Arena was built where an older music venue, called Point Theatre, used to be. The Point Theatre was smaller and operated from 1988 to 2007. Only some of the old building's outside walls were kept. The Point Theatre was also known as "The Point Depot" because it used to be a place for handling railway goods.
Contents
How the 3Arena Got Its Name
After the Point Theatre closed in 2007, the area was rebuilt. It was renamed The O2, like The O2 in London. This name came from the telecommunications company, O2. In 2008, O2 paid €25 million to have the venue named after them for 10 years.
However, in June 2014, the mobile company O2 Ireland was sold to a different company, 3 Ireland. Because of this sale, the venue's name was changed to the 3Arena on September 4, 2014.
Inside the 3Arena: Structure and Design
The 3Arena was designed so that everyone has a great view. The seat furthest from the stage is only 60 meters away. This is 20 meters closer than in the old Point Theatre.
The architects designed the seats in a huge "fan" shape. They said it was like the Colosseum in Rome. The venue also has a large area backstage for trucks to load and unload equipment. The design makes sure that big shows touring Europe can fit easily.
Mike Adamson, who is in charge of Live Nation Ireland, said that fans used to miss out on parts of big shows at the old venue. He explained that some shows, like George Michael's, could only use three-quarters of their production at the Point. Now, the 3Arena can host any show, just like other big venues in Europe.
How Many People Visit the 3Arena?
The 3Arena is a very popular place for concerts. In 2011, it was ranked as the fifth busiest music venue in the world. It sold 670,000 tickets that year. It was behind venues like The O2 Arena in London and the Manchester Arena.
In 2012, the 3Arena moved up to 4th place. In 2013, it was still in the top ten, ranking 9th.
Famous Shows and Events at the 3Arena
Many famous artists and events have taken place at the 3Arena.
- U2 was the first band to perform at the venue. Bono and The Edge played two songs for a private audience before it officially opened.
- The very first public event was the ChildLine Concert on December 16, 2008.
- American pop star Lady Gaga performed five concerts there in 2010. She was the first female artist to sell out so many nights at the venue.
- The band Guns N' Roses had a controversial show in September 2010. They were very late, and bottles were thrown. Most of the audience left, but the band later came back to finish.
- Rammstein played their first-ever show in Ireland at the arena on February 27, 2012.
- Since March 2014, the arena has hosted the C2C: Country to Country festival. It is the second longest-running host for this festival after the O2 Arena in London.
- In July 2014, the arena hosted UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Brandao. Tickets for this event sold out in minutes. It was Conor McGregor's only UFC fight in his hometown of Dublin.
- U2 returned for four concerts in November 2015. Their full stage setup had to be changed to fit the 3Arena.
- Since December 2015, the arena has hosted the RTÉ 2fm Xmas Ball. This is a yearly charity concert that helps the ISPCC. Bands like Kodaline and Hozier have headlined this event.
- Adele performed at the arena on March 4 and 5, 2016, during her world tour.
- Britney Spears brought her Piece of Me Tour on August 20, 2018. Tickets for her show sold out in just 10 minutes.
- Demi Lovato performed at the arena on May 25, 2018.
- Twenty One Pilots played at the 3Arena on March 1, 2019. This was their first Dublin show in almost five years.
- On May 22, 2019, Mariah Carey performed her first-ever show in Ireland at the arena.
- Ariana Grande performed three shows at the arena in 2019.
- Christina Aguilera also performed at the arena in 2019.
- The band The 1975 has played at the arena four times. Their shows were in March 2016, January 2019, March 2020, and January 2023.
- WWE often holds wrestling shows at the venue. On May 9, 2019, Charlotte Flair and Dublin's own Becky Lynch were the main event. They were the first women to headline a professional wrestling event at the arena.
- The arena was supposed to host a televised NXT UK event in June 2021, but it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Katie Taylor had her first professional boxing match in Ireland at the arena on May 20, 2023.
Getting to the 3Arena
It is recommended to use public transport to get to the 3Arena. There are parking services nearby in the Point Village.
- Dublin Bus route 151 goes to the venue.
- After concerts, there are often traffic restrictions on North Wall Quay because of all the people leaving.
- A Luas light rail extension opened on December 8, 2009. This tram line connects the venue to DART train services at Connolly Station. The Luas stop for the arena is called The Point.
- If you are coming from Dublin Airport, you can take the Dublin Bus route 747. You can also use the Greystones or Dalkey Aircoach services, which stop outside the venue.
See also
In Spanish: 3Arena para niños
