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| Volkswagen Halle | |
|---|---|
| Name | Volkswagen Halle |
| Location | Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany |
| Opened | 2000 |
| Capacity | 4,000–8,000 |
| Owner | Stadt Braunschweig / Volkswagen (naming rights) |
| Operator | Veranstaltungsbetriebe Braunschweig GmbH |
| Architect | Dinse Feest Zurl |
| Tenants | New Yorker Lions, Hannover Scorpions (occasional), Phantoms Braunschweig (ice hockey events) |
Volkswagen Halle Volkswagen Halle is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany. It hosts sport competitions, concerts, exhibitions, and cultural events, and serves as a venue for local clubs, touring artists, and regional trade fairs. The arena’s role in regional entertainment links it to institutions across Germany and international touring networks, positioning it among other midsize venues such as Mercedes-Benz Arena (Berlin), SAP Arena, and Tui Arena.
The arena opened in 2000 following municipal initiatives in Braunschweig and strategic partnerships with corporate sponsors like Volkswagen. Planning drew on experience from venues such as Olympiahalle (Munich) and Alsterdorfer Sporthalle, aiming to replace older stadia and host modern productions. Early years featured events with touring acts that had appeared in venues like Messehalle Hannover and collaborations with cultural institutions including Staatstheater Braunschweig and Niedersachsen State Museum. Over time the site adapted to hosting indoor sports adopted by clubs active in leagues such as the 2. Bundesliga (basketball) and competitions affiliated with the German Ice Hockey Federation. Renovations addressed acoustics and seating to align with standards seen at Lanxess Arena and Barclaycard Arena.
Designed by the firm Dinse Feest Zurl, the structure reflects contemporary arena typologies found in projects by architects who worked on Philips Arena-type venues and European multipurpose halls. The envelope incorporates steel trusses and curtain wall systems comparable to those used at SSE Hydro and O2 World Hamburg. Internal configurations provide retractable seating, a parquet court, and an ice pad adaptable for events associated with Deutsche Eishockey Liga fixtures. Technical installations include concert rigging, LED lighting rigs, and broadcast facilities compatible with networks such as ARD and ZDF for televised events. Ancillary spaces include hospitality suites used by local corporations like regional branches of Volkswagen AG and meeting rooms used by cultural organizations including Kulturinstitut Braunschweig and touring production companies.
The venue hosts a broad spectrum of events: professional and amateur sports, rock and pop concerts by artists who also tour venues like Festhalle Frankfurt and Lanxess Arena, comedy tours, and corporate functions for companies such as Allianz and Deutsche Bank regional offices. Permanent and frequent tenants include American football clubs that participate in the German Football League, and basketball teams that take part in competitions organized by the German Basketball Federation. The arena has staged matches for cup competitions under the auspices of federations including the German Handball Federation and hosted exhibition fixtures with teams from leagues like Handball-Bundesliga. It also serves as a venue for academic convocations connected to institutions such as the Technische Universität Braunschweig and trade fairs tied to chambers like the Braunschweig Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Situated near central Braunschweig, the arena benefits from proximity to transport nodes including Braunschweig Hauptbahnhof and regional autobahns such as the Bundesautobahn 2. Local public transport connections include services of Verkehrsverbund Region Braunschweig and regional bus lines that link to suburbs and neighboring cities like Wolfsburg and Salzgitter. Parking facilities accommodate coach and private vehicle traffic; logistical access supports freight handled along routes used by touring crews that also serve venues in Hannover and Magdeburg. Nearby cultural landmarks include Burgplatz and Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, creating synergies between events and tourism circuits managed by Tourismusverband Region Braunschweig.
Ownership combines municipal involvement from Stadt Braunschweig and commercial arrangements with naming partners. Operational duties rest with Veranstaltungsbetriebe Braunschweig GmbH, a company that coordinates programming, maintenance, and event logistics, and liaises with promoters such as CTS Eventim and production agencies like Viva Concerts. Contractual frameworks for sponsorships and vendor services follow models used by operators of arenas such as Messe Frankfurt and Stadthalle Chemnitz. Management engages with regulatory bodies including the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege for nearby heritage sites and compliance with safety standards enforced by authorities like the Technischer Überwachungsverein.
The arena has hosted headline concerts by artists whose tours also played arenas like Olympiahalle (Munich) and festivals associated with promoters such as DEAG Deutsche Entertainment. It accommodated regional finals and playoff games pivotal in the histories of clubs related to the German Football League and the 2. Bundesliga (basketball), drawing attendance figures that rank it among the top midsize venues in Lower Saxony. Broadcast events produced for networks including NDR and Sat.1 took place here, and the venue has served as a staging ground for charity galas linked to organizations such as Deutsches Rotes Kreuz and cultural anniversaries celebrated by Staatstheater Braunschweig. Records include sell-out concerts and major sporting match attendances that have been noted in regional press outlets like Braunschweiger Zeitung and trade reports covering touring circuits across Germany.
Category:Indoor arenas in Germany Category:Buildings and structures in Braunschweig