Westpac Centre
Encyclopedia
CBS Canterbury Arena is a sporting and entertainment arena located in Addington
, Christchurch
, New Zealand
.
's Vector Arena
in 2007. The indoor stadium is capable of hosting concerts, exhibitions and various sporting events. Provision for international sport and traditional indoor arena events has been integrated into the design requirements.
It has over 6700 seats for sporting fixtures or, in the concert configuration, the seating can increase to over 7000.
The Sports and Entertainment complex is located adjacent to Addington Raceway
and Rugby League Park
in South West Christchurch surrounded by 3000 car parks. The complex is only 10 minutes from the central business district
It has been affectionately dubbed 'The Woolshed' by Canterbury Rams basketball fans. Some Christchurch citizens colloquially refer to the arena as the horseshoe, due to its unusual architectural exterior design.
CBS Canterbury currently holds the naming rights to the stadium.
was the builder for the stadium. The arena opened in September 1998 at a cost of NZ$32 Million. In the first ever sporting match at CBS Canterbury Arena, the Canterbury Rams basketball team suffered a close loss to the Wellington Saints
86-81 in April 1999.
It was built for two main reasons: primarily for the 1999 Netball World Cup in Christchurch
, and also because Christchurch
was missing out on many concerts and other attractions, because it did not have a suitable indoor arena in the city.
respectively. It was also the host of the 1999 Netball World Championships
.
It has also been host to a lot of non-regular sporting events. These include various celebrity tennis
matches, ice shows, disabled games, karate
championships and gymnastics
competitions.
were announced to play their last New Zealand
show here, during their Chinese Democracy World Tour 2007.
On 25 November 2007, Muse
performed, on their last show of their Australasian (and eventually, as Bangkok was cancelled) world tour.
On 21 and 22 September 2010, Metallica
played two sold out shows as part of their World Magnetic Tour
.
On 10 February 2011, Sting performed during his Symphonicities
Tour, along with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
.
It is also managed by the same company that manages the Christchurch Convention Centre
and plays an important part of hosting major conferences in cooperation with the convention centre. The combined facilities regularly host a variety of different conferences for up to 2500 people. It has been a frequent host for the New Zealand annual Tourism conference known as T.R.E.N.Z..
In 1999 and 2010, the arena was used to stage the Disney on Ice
production. In June 2008 the CBS Canterbury Arena is host to Disney's High School Musical on Ice tour, which will be only the second time that ice has been used on the Arena floor.
The venue is also used for big gala dinners, lunches, balls and cocktail parties.
Addington, New Zealand
Addington is a major suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is sited south-west of the city centre.-Description:The suburb was named for the country residence of Bishop John Sumner, one of the leading members of the Canterbury Association....
, Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Description
The stadium is New Zealand's second largest indoor arena with a maximum capacity of 8,888 (depending on event type), it was the largest until the construction of AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
's Vector Arena
Vector Arena
Vector Arena is a 12,000-seat arena for sports and entertainment events in Auckland, New Zealand. Named for a sponsor, Vector Limited, the arena is located at Quay Park, Parnell, very close to the former Auckland Railway Station...
in 2007. The indoor stadium is capable of hosting concerts, exhibitions and various sporting events. Provision for international sport and traditional indoor arena events has been integrated into the design requirements.
It has over 6700 seats for sporting fixtures or, in the concert configuration, the seating can increase to over 7000.
The Sports and Entertainment complex is located adjacent to Addington Raceway
Addington Raceway
Addington Raceway or The Met is the home of the Metropolitan Trotting Club in Addington, Christchurch in New Zealand. The venue consists of a trotting track, a greyhound track conference centre and restaurants...
and Rugby League Park
Rugby League Park
Rugby League Park is a rugby league stadium in Christchurch, New Zealand. Formerly called the Addington Showgrounds, the ground is owned by the Canterbury Rugby League.-History:...
in South West Christchurch surrounded by 3000 car parks. The complex is only 10 minutes from the central business district
It has been affectionately dubbed 'The Woolshed' by Canterbury Rams basketball fans. Some Christchurch citizens colloquially refer to the arena as the horseshoe, due to its unusual architectural exterior design.
CBS Canterbury currently holds the naming rights to the stadium.
History
Charles LuneyCharles Luney
Charles Seymour "Chas" Luney was a builder and company director. He is notable for the many important buildings that his company constructed in Christchurch, of which his favourite was Christchurch Town Hall. His professional career spanned 80 years.-Early life:Luney was born in Lyttelton. His...
was the builder for the stadium. The arena opened in September 1998 at a cost of NZ$32 Million. In the first ever sporting match at CBS Canterbury Arena, the Canterbury Rams basketball team suffered a close loss to the Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus Saints....
86-81 in April 1999.
It was built for two main reasons: primarily for the 1999 Netball World Cup in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, and also because Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
was missing out on many concerts and other attractions, because it did not have a suitable indoor arena in the city.
Current tenants
- Canterbury Rams 1999–2007
- Canterbury FlamesCanterbury FlamesThe Canterbury Tactix are a New Zealand netball team based in Christchurch, New Zealand that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The team was one of the founding franchises in the National Bank Cup, formerly the premier netball competition in New Zealand , during which the team...
2002–2007 - Canterbury Tactix 2008 – present
Sporting
Since its opening, it has been host to a number of different sporting events. These Include home matches for the Canterbury Rams (basketball) and Canterbury Tactix (netball) teams. It occasionally hosts international basketball and netball fixtures featuring the Tall Blacks and Silver FernsSilver Ferns
The New Zealand national netball team, commonly known as the Silver Ferns, represent New Zealand in international netball. The team take their nickname from the Silver Tree Fern , which is an iconic emblem for many New Zealand sports teams. The Silver Ferns were formed in 1938 as a representative...
respectively. It was also the host of the 1999 Netball World Championships
1999 Netball World Championships
The 1999 World Netball Championships was the tenth staging of the World Netball Championships, the premier tournament in international netball, held every four years. The 1999 tournament was held in Christchurch, New Zealand and was contested by 24 teams. All matches were held at the Westpac...
.
It has also been host to a lot of non-regular sporting events. These include various celebrity tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
matches, ice shows, disabled games, karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
championships and gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
competitions.
Concerts
On 22 May 2007, Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
were announced to play their last New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
show here, during their Chinese Democracy World Tour 2007.
On 25 November 2007, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
performed, on their last show of their Australasian (and eventually, as Bangkok was cancelled) world tour.
On 21 and 22 September 2010, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
played two sold out shows as part of their World Magnetic Tour
World Magnetic Tour
World Magnetic Tour was a 2008/2009/2010 concert tour by American heavy metal band Metallica in support of the group's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic, which was released in September 2008....
.
On 10 February 2011, Sting performed during his Symphonicities
Symphonicities
Symphonicities is the tenth studio album by English musician Sting, released on 13 July 2010 on Deutsche Grammophon. The album is a companion piece to the tour of the same name, in which Sting, performing with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, reinterprets some of his songs as classical...
Tour, along with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
.
Other uses
It also pays a key part of the Christchurch economy by being the host to regular annual trade shows. Some of which include the Christchurch Home Show, Women's Lifestyle Expo, The Christchurch Boat Show and the South Island gift Fare.It is also managed by the same company that manages the Christchurch Convention Centre
Christchurch Convention Centre
The Christchurch Convention Centre was New Zealand's only purpose-built Convention Centre. Christchurch's Mayor Vicki Buck opened it in November 1997...
and plays an important part of hosting major conferences in cooperation with the convention centre. The combined facilities regularly host a variety of different conferences for up to 2500 people. It has been a frequent host for the New Zealand annual Tourism conference known as T.R.E.N.Z..
In 1999 and 2010, the arena was used to stage the Disney on Ice
Disney on Ice
Disney On Ice is a touring ice show produced by Feld Entertainment under agreement with The Walt Disney Company. Aimed primarily at children, the shows feature figure skaters dressed as Disney cartoon characters in performances that each derive their music and plot from elements collected from...
production. In June 2008 the CBS Canterbury Arena is host to Disney's High School Musical on Ice tour, which will be only the second time that ice has been used on the Arena floor.
The venue is also used for big gala dinners, lunches, balls and cocktail parties.
Name change
On 18 June 2010, Westpac Arena was officially renamed CBS Canterbury Arena.External links
- Vbase - venue manager for the CBS Canterbury Arena. Lists upcoming events and allows to take a virtual tour of the Arena.
- CBS Canterbury website - Naming rights holder