Vida Arena
Encyclopedia
Vida Arena is an indoor sporting arena
located in Växjö
, Sweden
. The construction of the arena began in September 2010 and was finished in summer 2011. The arena opened in September 2011 and is best known for being the Växjö Lakers'
new home arena. Although mainly intended to be used for ice hockey
events, the Vida Arena is also used for other events such as concert
s and news conference
s.
As of the 2011–12 season
, Vida Arena is the Elitserien
's newest arena but has a spectator capacity
of 5,229, making it the Elitserien's capacity-wise smallest arena. However, the design allows for future extensions that could increase the capacity to 6,500 spectators. The spectator capacity is planned for extension to 6,000 during autumn 2011.
Vida Arena is part of the sports complex
"Arenastaden" (Arena town), which also includes a new soccer stadium
, a floorball
arena, and an arena for athletics. Vida Arena is connected with Växjö Ishall, an old arena inaugurated in 1970 that, since a renovation
which took place in 2006, has a comparable capacity of 4,000 spectators. The Vida Group
acquired the naming rights
for the arena in September 2010, for the upcoming 14 years.
The arena was officially inaugurated on 17 September 2011, in an ice hockey game between Växjö Lakers and Linköpings HC
. The arena tickets for the game were outsold within just one hour, with the Lakers' marketing manager
speculating that they could've sold out two arenas. Växjö Lakers former crowd favorite Shjon Podein
watched the game live in the arena. Linköping won the game 4–2 in front of 5,502 spectators, which is so far the crowd record in the new arena. However, the Lakers' premier game on 13 September, on away ice against Frölunda HC
, was shown on the Vida Arena's JumboTron
in front of 2,400 spectators, with free entrance, as a preview of the Vida Arena experience and a test of the arena's technical features. Frölunda won the game 2–0.
Vida Arena is the first cashless arena in Sweden. Vida Arena will host the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen 2012
on 4 February 2012. This will be the third time that Växjö
hosts a Melodifestivalen
stage, after 2002
and 2005
.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located in Växjö
Växjö
Växjö is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 64 200 inhabitants in 2010. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 64 200, out of a...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The construction of the arena began in September 2010 and was finished in summer 2011. The arena opened in September 2011 and is best known for being the Växjö Lakers'
Växjö Lakers Hockey
Växjö Lakers Hockey is an ice hockey club from Växjö in Sweden. They play their home games in the Vida Arena. The club makes their debut in the Elitserien , Sweden's top ice hockey league, in the 2011–12 season...
new home arena. Although mainly intended to be used for ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
events, the Vida Arena is also used for other events such as concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s and news conference
News conference
A news conference or press conference is a media event in which newsmakers invite journalists to hear them speak and, most often, ask questions. A joint press conference instead is held between two or more talking sides.-Practice:...
s.
As of the 2011–12 season
2011–12 Elitserien season
The 2011–12 Elitserien season is the 37th and current season of Elitserien. The regular season began on 13 September 2011 and is scheduled to end on 6 March 2012. The following playoffs are scheduled to begin on 10 March 2012 and end between 15–21 April...
, Vida Arena is the Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
's newest arena but has a spectator capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 5,229, making it the Elitserien's capacity-wise smallest arena. However, the design allows for future extensions that could increase the capacity to 6,500 spectators. The spectator capacity is planned for extension to 6,000 during autumn 2011.
Vida Arena is part of the sports complex
Sports complex
A sports complex is a group of sports facilities. For example, there are stadiums for athletic and football, baseball stadiums, swimming pools, gymnasiums. This area is a sports complex....
"Arenastaden" (Arena town), which also includes a new soccer stadium
Myresjöhus Arena
Myresjöhus Arena is an upcoming arena being built by Östers IF in western Växjö to serve as home ground for their men's and women's association football teams...
, a floorball
Floorball
Floorball, a type of floor hockey, is an indoor team sport which was developed in the 1970s in Sweden. Floorball is most popular in areas where the sport has developed the longest, such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The game is played...
arena, and an arena for athletics. Vida Arena is connected with Växjö Ishall, an old arena inaugurated in 1970 that, since a renovation
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
which took place in 2006, has a comparable capacity of 4,000 spectators. The Vida Group
Vida AB
Vida AB is the largest privately-owned sawmill group of Sweden with its approximately 1000 employees. The sawmills are strategically placed in near the huge forest areas in the province of Småland and the western Götaland province...
acquired the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
for the arena in September 2010, for the upcoming 14 years.
The arena was officially inaugurated on 17 September 2011, in an ice hockey game between Växjö Lakers and Linköpings HC
Linköpings HC
Linköpings Hockey Club, often known by its acronym LHC or, colloquially among its fans, Cluben, is an ice hockey team from Linköping, Sweden....
. The arena tickets for the game were outsold within just one hour, with the Lakers' marketing manager
Marketing management
Marketing management is a business discipline which is focused on the practical application of marketing techniques and the management of a firm's marketing resources and activities...
speculating that they could've sold out two arenas. Växjö Lakers former crowd favorite Shjon Podein
Shjon Podein
Shjon Podein is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues....
watched the game live in the arena. Linköping won the game 4–2 in front of 5,502 spectators, which is so far the crowd record in the new arena. However, the Lakers' premier game on 13 September, on away ice against Frölunda HC
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
, was shown on the Vida Arena's JumboTron
Jumbotron
A JumboTron is a large-screen television using technology developed by Sony, typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues to show close-up shots of the event. Although JumboTron is a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation, the word jumbotron is often used by the public as a...
in front of 2,400 spectators, with free entrance, as a preview of the Vida Arena experience and a test of the arena's technical features. Frölunda won the game 2–0.
Vida Arena is the first cashless arena in Sweden. Vida Arena will host the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen 2012
Melodifestivalen 2012
Melodifestivalen 2012 is a Swedish song contest that will be held between 4 February and 10 March 2012. It will select Sweden's 52nd song to be internationally represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 ....
on 4 February 2012. This will be the third time that Växjö
Växjö
Växjö is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 64 200 inhabitants in 2010. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. Furthermore it is the episcopal see of the Diocese of Växjö. It has a population of about 64 200, out of a...
hosts a Melodifestivalen
Melodifestivalen
Melodifestivalen is an annual music competition organised by Swedish public broadcasters Sveriges Television and Sveriges Radio . It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been staged almost every year since 1959...
stage, after 2002
Melodifestivalen 2002
Melodifestivalen 2002 was the selection for the 42nd song to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest. It was the 41st time that this system of picking a song had been used. Five semifinals had taken place to select the ten songs for the final, in Växjö, Norrköping, Sundsvall, Falun and a...
and 2005
Melodifestivalen 2005
Melodifestivalen 2005 was the selection for the 45th song to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest. It was the 44th time that this system of picking a song had been used. Five semifinals had taken place to select the ten songs for the final, in Gothenburg, Linköping, Skellefteå, Växjö and...
.