Wolfbrook Arena

Sporting arena in New Zealand

43°32′45″S 172°36′4″E / 43.54583°S 172.60111°E / -43.54583; 172.60111OwnerVenues ŌtautahiOperatorVenues ŌtautahiCapacityNetball: 7,200
Concerts: 8,888ConstructionOpened1998General contractorCharles LuneyTenants1999 Netball World Championships
Mainland Tactix (ANZ Championship) (2008–present)

Wolfbrook Arena is an indoor arena in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is located in the suburb of Addington. It has gone through a series of name changes, the most recent of which prior to its current name having been Christchurch Arena.

Description

Main entrance to the arena (2020)

Wolfbrook Arena 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 Auckland'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 6,700 seats for sporting fixtures or, in the concert configuration, the seating can increase to over 7,000.

The Sports and Entertainment complex is located adjacent to the Addington Raceway and Christchurch Stadium and is surrounded by 3,000 car parking spaces. The complex is only 10 minutes from the city centre.

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.

History

Construction company Chas S Luney Ltd built the stadium.[1] 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.

On 18 June 2010, Westpac Arena was officially renamed CBS Canterbury Arena.[2] On 23 July 2014, CBS Canterbury Arena was officially renamed Horncastle Arena.[3]

On 19 September 2020, Horncastle Arena was officially renamed Christchurch Arena.

On 1 June 2023, Christchurch Arena was officially renamed Wolfbrook Arena.[4]

Sporting home teams

  • Canterbury Rams (1999–2007)[5]
  • Canterbury Flames (2002–2007)
  • Mainland Tactix (2008–present)

Events

Entertainment events

Entertainment events at Christchurch Arena
Year Date Nationalities Artists Events
1998 12 September United States Bob Dylan Never Ending Tour 1998
27 November United States Janet Jackson The Velvet Rope Tour
28 November
1999 14 August United States Creed
2002 27 November United States P!nk Party Tour
2003 18 February United Kingdom Cliff Richard Wanted World Tour
19 February
2005 22 February United States Cher Living Proof: The Farewell Tour
6 October United States Black Eyed Peas Monkey Business Tour
20 November United States Kelly Clarkson Breakaway World Tour
2007 3 July United States Guns N' Roses Chinese Democracy World Tour
8 August United States Bob Dylan Never Ending Tour 2007
15 September United Kingdom Snow Patrol Eyes Open Tour
16 October Australia Powderfinger
Silverchair
Across the Great Divide Tour
25 November United Kingdom Muse Black Holes and Revelations Tour
2008 7 May Ireland Westlife Back Home Tour
12 September United States Disturbed Indestructible Tour (Music as a Weapon)
28 October United States Stevie Wonder Wonder Spring Summer World Tour 2008
2009 22 February United Kingdom Iron Maiden Somewhere Back in Time World Tour
2010 16 February United States Faith No More The Second Coming Tour
1 March United Kingdom Cliff Richard
The Shadows
The Final Reunion Tour
5 March United States Paramore Brand New Eyes World Tour
8 April United States Carole King
James Taylor
Troubadour Reunion Tour
21 September United States Metallica
The Sword
World Magnetic Tour (Metallica)
Warp Riders Tour (The Sword)
22 September
3 November Canada Leonard Cohen Leonard Cohen Tour 2008–2010
2011 10 February United Kingdom Sting – along with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Symphonicity Tour
10 May United States Disturbed Asylum Tour
20 November New Zealand Hayley Westenra Paradiso 10th Anniversary Homecoming Tour
2012 10 April Australia Reece Mastin Australia and New Zealand Tour
19 August United States Slash Apocalyptic Love World Tour
6 November United Kingdom Mumford & Sons
2013 20 February United States Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Note: This show was organised as a student-only event by the University of Canterbury Students' Association, it was originally planned to be held at the Ilam Gardens but the event has since been re-located to allow extra tickets to be sold.

23 February Australia Reece Mastin The Summer Nights Tour
10 October Ireland
United Kingdom
One Direction Take Me Home Tour
14 December Canada Leonard Cohen Old Ideas World Tour
2014 20 March United States Lionel Richie All the Hits, All Night Long[6][7]
22 March United States Nine Inch Nails Twenty Thirteen Tour
10 September United States Bob Dylan Never Ending Tour 2014[8][9]
2015 8 April United Kingdom Ed Sheeran x Tour[10][11][12][13][14]
21 April Puerto Rico Ricky Martin One World Tour[15]
10 September United States Imagine Dragons Smoke + Mirrors Tour[16][17][18]
2 October United States Maroon 5 Maroon V Tour[19][20]
2016 29 April United Kingdom Iron Maiden The Book of Souls World Tour[21][22][23]
28 July Australia Troye Sivan Blue Neighbourhood Tour[24][25]
30 July United States Macklemore & Ryan Lewis The Unruly Mess I've Made Tour[26][27][28]
18 August
(1 Show)
Disney on Ice: Magical Ice Festival[29][30]
19 August
(2 Shows)
20 August
(3 Shows)
21 August
(3 Shows)
29 September United Kingdom Ellie Goulding Delirium World Tour[31][32]
2020 5 March Norway A-ha Hunting High and Low Live Tour[33]

Sporting

Since its opening, it has been host to a number of different sporting events. These include home matches for the Canterbury Rams (basketball), New Zealand Breakers (basketball) and Mainland Tactix (netball) teams. It occasionally hosts international basketball and netball fixtures featuring the Tall Blacks and Silver Ferns 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.

In 2007 & 2008 the arena hosted WWE professional wrestling tours, featuring the SmackDown and ECW brands. The arena again hosted a WWE event in September 2017, this time a Raw branded event.

Other uses

The arena plays a key role in the Christchurch economy hosting annual trade shows including the Christchurch Home Show, Women's Lifestyle Expo, Armageddon Expo, and the Go Green Expo.

Christchurch Arena is managed by Venues Otautahi, the same venue management company that manages the Christchurch Town Hall, Apollo Projects Stadium, Airforce Museum of New Zealand and Hagley Oval Pavilion. The combined facilities regularly host a variety of different events

The venue is also used for big gala dinners, lunches, balls, and cocktail parties.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Charles Seymour Luney (Chas), QSO, CNZM 1905 – 2006". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  2. ^ Heather, Ben (19 June 2010). "CBS takes venue naming rights". The Press. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  3. ^ Meier, Cecile (24 July 2014). "Arena sponsor 'here for the long haul'". The Press. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  4. ^ "New name for Christchurch Arena". Otago Daily Times. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Basketball returns home to Cowles", Christchurch City Council, Media Release 29 September 2007.
  6. ^ "Lionel Richie and John Farnham NZ Tour at Horncastle Arena – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Lionel Richie and John Farnham NZ Tour in New Plymouth – stuff.co.nz". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Bob Dylan lands in Christchurch – stuff.co.nz". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Review: Bob Dylan in Christchurch – stuff.co.nz". Les Kokay – stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Ed Sheeran – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  11. ^ "Gig guide: Event details – undertheradar.co.nz". undertheradar.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Ed Sheeran's secret show in Christchurch – stuff.co.nz". Vicki Anderson – stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Review: Ed Sheeran captivates Christchurch – stuff.co.nz". Vicki Anderson – stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  14. ^ "Ed Sheeran delights fans with secret Christchurch show – nzherald.co.nz". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  15. ^ "Ricky Martin – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  16. ^ "Gig guide: Event details – undertheradar.co.nz". undertheradar.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Tour news:Imagine Dragons conjure up two NZ shows – nzherald.co.nz". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  18. ^ "Imagine Dragons to play Auckland, Christchurch – newshub.co.nz". newshub.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  19. ^ "Maroon 5 add extra Australia and New Zealand shows to 2015 tour plans - stereoboard.com". Jon Stickler - stereoboard.com. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  20. ^ "Review: Maroon 5 V Tour – stuff.co.nz". James Croot – stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  21. ^ "Iron Maiden – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  22. ^ "Maiden announce details of concerts in New Zealand and Australia in April/May 2016 - ironmaiden.com". ironmaiden.com. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  23. ^ "Review: Iron Maiden at Christchurch's Horncastle Arena – stuff.co.nz". Nicole Mathewson – stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  24. ^ "Troye Sivan – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  25. ^ "Concert Review: Passionate Troye Sivan connects with Christchurch crowd – stuff.co.nz". Enya Beynon – stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  26. ^ "Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  27. ^ "Macklemore and Ryan Lewis back on tour, returning to Auckland – stuff.co.nz". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  28. ^ "Macklemore & Ryan Lewis live in New Zealand – scoop.co.nz". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  29. ^ "Tour information – disney.com.au". disney.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 September 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  30. ^ "Disney on Ice presents Magical Ice Festival – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  31. ^ "Ellie Goulding – eventfinda.co.nz". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  32. ^ "Ellie Goulding heads to New Zealand for Delirium tour – stuff.co.nz". Hannah McKee – stuff.co.nz. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  33. ^ "A-ha and Rick Astley announce two New Zealand shows". 16 July 2019.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to CBS Canterbury Arena.
  • Venues Ōtautahi – venue manager for Christchurch Arena. Lists upcoming events and allows to take a virtual tour of the Arena
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Authority control databases: Geographic Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz place