Perth Arena facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| Former names | Perth Arena (2012–18) |
|---|---|
| Location | Perth, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°56′54″S 115°51′7″E / 31.94833°S 115.85194°E |
| Owner | VenuesWest |
| Operator | AEG Ogden |
| Capacity | 15,500 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 2007 |
| Opened | 10 November 2012 |
| Construction cost | A$548.7 million |
| Architect | ARM & CCN |
| Builder | WSP Group |
| Project manager | Appian Group |
| Structural engineer | Aurecon |
| Services engineer | Wood & Grieve Engineers |
| General contractor | BGC Construction |
| Main contractors | Buss Construction |
| Tenants | |
|
|
RAC Arena, originally known as Perth Arena, is a super cool building in Perth, Western Australia. It's a big place where people go to watch sports like basketball and enjoy concerts! It officially opened on 10 November 2012.
The arena is part of a big city project called the Perth City Link. This project connected the city centre directly with Northbridge by moving the train lines underground.
Contents
About RAC Arena
RAC Arena was designed by two architecture companies, ARM and Cameron Chisholm Nicol. It's built to look a bit like the famous Eternity puzzle! This awesome venue can hold many people:
- Up to 13,910 people for tennis matches.
- Up to 14,846 people for basketball games.
- Up to 15,000 people for music concerts.
The arena has a special roof that can open and close. It also has 36 fancy private suites and a large underground car park with 680 spaces. Big trucks carrying equipment can even drive right onto the main floor!
The arena is owned by VenuesWest, which looks after other sports venues in Western Australia. It is managed by a company called AEG Ogden.
Some of the main teams and events that call RAC Arena home include the West Coast Fever (netball), the Perth Wildcats (basketball), and the Hopman Cup (tennis).
Building the Arena
Building RAC Arena was a huge job! A construction company called BGC won the contract to build it. Work started in June 2007.
The project faced some challenges. The cost of building the arena grew from an early guess of $150 million to about $550 million. This happened because the plans changed and became more detailed as the project went on. For example, the car park was originally planned to be built above the railway line, but it was later decided to build it underneath the arena instead.
Naming the Arena
For its first six years, the arena was simply called Perth Arena. In September 2018, its name changed to RAC Arena. This happened because the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) made a deal to have their name on the building for five years. This deal was worth about $10 million to the Western Australian Government.
Entertainment Events
RAC Arena is a popular spot for big concerts and shows! Many famous artists have performed here.
- On 4 August 2018, Céline Dion performed at the arena for the first time.
- On 12 October 2018, Cher also performed her first show at RAC Arena.
Sports Events
RAC Arena is a fantastic place for sports, hosting many exciting games!
Basketball
The first NBL basketball game at RAC Arena was on 16 November 2012. The home team, the Perth Wildcats, played against the Adelaide 36ers. Over 11,500 fans came to watch, which was a record for an indoor sports event in Western Australia at the time!
The arena has since hosted even bigger crowds for basketball. The current record is 13,611 fans, set during a Wildcats game in January 2017. With a capacity of 14,846 for basketball, RAC Arena is one of the biggest NBL venues in Australia.
Tennis
RAC Arena has hosted many exciting tennis matches.
- On 2 January 2019, a record 14,064 people watched a 2019 Hopman Cup match between the United States and Switzerland. This was the biggest crowd ever for a tennis match in Western Australian history!
- The arena hosted the Hopman Cup until the tournament ended.
- It was also chosen to host the 2019 Fed Cup Final between Australia and France.
- Since 2020, RAC Arena has been one of the venues for the ATP Cup tournament, which features teams from different countries.
Netball
Netball started being played at RAC Arena on 27 April 2013. The home team, the West Coast Fever, played against the Melbourne Vixens.
- The Fever now play all their home matches at RAC Arena.
- A huge crowd of 13,722 fans attended the 2018 Super Netball Grand Final here, setting a new record for a domestic league netball game.
- The arena also hosted its first international netball game on 30 October 2015, when Australia played New Zealand.
Other Events
RAC Arena isn't just for ball sports! It has also hosted other exciting events. For example, the UFC held a big mixed martial arts event called UFC 221 at the arena on 11 February 2018.
Images for kids
-
Perth Arena during a basketball match, 20 October 2018
