Sprawling over 10.5 hectares, the new Emirates Arena sports facility is situated next to the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village and Celtic Park. One of the largest facilities of its kind in Europe, the new sports venue will be called the Commonwealth Arena during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. It will host the badminton, World Cup Track Cycling and the World Cup Gymnastics.
The new Emirates Arena sports facility includes Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, an indoor sports arena, three full-size sports halls with 12 badminton courts, four outdoor 5-a-side football pitches, a 1km outdoor cycle circuit, one of the largest Glasgow Club health and fitness centres in the city, and a luxury spa.
Designed by renowned velodrome designer Ralf Schuermann, the 250 metre Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome cycle track can accommodate 2,000 seated and 500 standing spectators, which can be increased to 3,700 seats during major events.
With a flexible capacity of up to 6,500 spectators, the new sports arena can host a range of sports including athletics, badminton, boxing, gymnastics, judo and netball. The state-of-the-art sports hall has three full-size sports courts (volleyball, 5-a-side football, netball, and basketball) or 12 badminton courts. It can also be configured to have one show court, with a seating capacity for 1,200 spectators.
Besides being a competition and training venue for elite athletes, the new Emirates Arena is also open for community to inspire the next generation of athletes and sports stars. The new sports arena will also be the administrative hub for several national sports federations and Glasgow Life’s Sports Development unit.
The Glasgow Club health and fitness centre has 80 cardiovascular and strength and conditioning machines, including treadmills, rowing machines and step machines. It also has a functional training zone, dance studio, spin studio and mind and body studio. The luxury spa has a vitality pool, sauna, sanarium, steam room, caldarium, two treatment rooms and a relaxation area.
The new Emirates Arena sports facility was officially opened to the public on 5 October 2012. In its first four months of operation, the Emirates Arena will play host to eight Scottish, European or World level sporting events.
