SLOVNAFT ARENA – The new multi-functional arena in Bratislava which had its premiere at the recent IIHF World Championships in 2011. For a minimum of two years HC Slovan Bratislava will play its home games in the arena baring the name Slovnaft, known for many years as a supporter of Slovak ice hockey.
World-class arena
The new hockey arena was built on the foundations of the old ice rink - the work of the architect Kamil Grossa, which was built in 1940. Dušan Fischer, a renowned Slovak architect orchesterated the reconstruction project. The Arena was built in record time, being completed in only 22 months, with construction taking place between May 2009 and February 2011.
Entertainment for over 10,000 spectators
The project was to build not only a modern multi-purpose arena with three ice rinks, but also to provide adequate transport infrastructure, large areas of retail space, sky boxes attractive for sponsors of the club, a modern management information system, including the unique IceCube over the ice. However, the Slovnaft Arena stands apart in terms of its size, as for hockey there is total capacity of 10,000 spectators. As seen at the recent IIHF World Championships in ice hockey in May 2011, the spectators in the arena can create the electric atmosphere perfect for hockey.
The largest, most modern and the highest quality
Since its completion, the Slovnaft Arena can claim to be:
- the biggest hockey stadium in Slovakia
- the most modern sports facility in Slovakia
- within a radius of 200 km from Bratislava (including cities such as Vienna, Budapest, Brno), the Slovnaft Arena is currently the highest quality multifunctional arena in the region, capable of successfully hosting global events in sports, culture and congress.
Pride and the new landmark of Bratislava
During the recent IIHF World Championships, the new arena was admired by a number of political and sports personalities. The Bratislava arena was positively evaluated by Slovak government leaders and the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Also the president of the Continental Hockey League (KHL) Alexander Medvedev and former president of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation Alexander Steblin spoke in superlatives about it. The Comfort of the arena and true hockey atmosphere was enjoyed by a plethora of sporting personalities such as Jari Kurri, Peter Forsberg, Mark Messier, and Vladislav Tretiak. The complex task of holding training sessions with two rinks as well as the off-ice facilities was recognized with praise by sports commentators in the service of Czech Television Robert Zaruba and Michal Dusik. The Slovnaft Arena is currently considered the most modern hockey complex in Europe, with the quality and comprehensiveness of its services surpassing the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany.
The home arena of HC Slovan Bratislava
After the 75th World Championship in Ice Hockey, the Slovnaft Arena became the home arena of HC Slovan Bratislava. The arena is also the scene for frequent concerts by international music stars, figure skating exhibitions, adrenaline sports, and other entertaining events. It will become a popular address for residents and visitors of the capital city offering leisure in one of the busiest parts of Bratislava.
| P | Tím | Z | B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | CSKA Moscow | 38 | 81 |
| 2. | Jokerit Helsinki | 38 | 68 |
| 3. | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | 40 | 77 |
| 4. | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod | 39 | 67 |
| 5. | HC Sochi | 39 | 65 |
| 6. | Dynamo Moscow | 39 | 65 |
| 7. | SKA St. Peterburg | 38 | 62 |
| 8. | Dinamo Minsk | 38 | 56 |
| 9. | Medvescak Zagreb | 40 | 56 |
| 10. | HC SLOVAN Bratislava | 40 | 55 |
| 11. | Spartak Moscow | 39 | 50 |
| 12. | Vityaz Podolsk | 39 | 46 |
| 13. | Dinamo Riga | 37 | 46 |
| 14. | Severstal Cherepovets | 38 | 40 |
