The 35 metre high arena will be one of the largest temporary venues ever used for an Olympic and Paralympic Games and will be dismantled after the Games to be reused elsewhere in other parts of the UK and overseas.

Initial works on the site began in October 2009, with work to erect the 1,000-tonne steel frame starting in March 2010, and now have been completed on budget and well ahead of schedule.

ODA chief executive Dennis Hone said: "Completing construction on the Basketball Arena delivers another striking Games-time venue for the Olympic Park and an innovative structure that can be reused elsewhere after 2012.

"As the fourth Olympic Park venue completed and one of the quickest to finish construction, the Basketball Arena is another milestone for the Olympic Park Big Build and a tribute to the companies from across the UK involved in its delivery."

The venue will feature black and orange seating to represent the colours of a basketball and with construction now complete, the venue will be handed over to the London 2012 Organising Committee to carry out overlay works to get the venue ready for the first Olympic Park test event in August.

The test event, which will be the London International Basketball Invitational from August 16-21, will see six top men's teams in action, with Britain, Australia, China, Croatia, France and Serbia to compete.


During London 2012, basketball preliminary matches and women's quarter finals will be staged at the Basketball Arena, in addition to the handball men's quarter finals, all semi-finals and all medal matches.

It will also host wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby during the Paralympic Games.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said: "Basketball is one of the most popular Olympic sports and spectators will be able to see the game played out in spectacular surroundings.

"It is a superb venue which will be the centre of some of the best team action during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

The 1,000-tonne steel frame for the venue is wrapped in 20,000 square metres of recyclable white PVC membrane, which is stretched over three different variations of arched panels.

During the Games the exterior will act as a canvas for an innovative lighting design, while venue facilities at London 2012 include lifts, toilet blocks, corridors and VIP access rooms installed beneath the venue seating frame.

The Basketball Arena design team was led by Sinclair Knight Merz together with Wilkinson Eyre and KSS.

"Basketball is one of the most atmospheric competitions of the Games and this has been captured by the artistic design of the arena," said Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics.

"The speed with which this venue has been constructed is a tribute to the ODA and the architect whose design means this facility can be reused after the Games."

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