Wukesong Arena

The Wukesong Arena (simplified Chinese: 五棵松体育馆; traditional Chinese: 五棵松體育館; pinyin: Wǔkēsōng Tǐyùguǎn), also known as the Cadillac Arena (simplified Chinese: 凯迪拉克中心; traditional Chinese: 凱迪拉克中心; pinyin: Kǎidílākè Zhōngxīn) for sponsorship purposes, is a multipurpose indoor arena in Beijing. It was originally built for the 2008 Summer Olympics basketball preliminaries and finals. Ground was broken on 29 March 2005 and construction was completed on 11 January 2008.

Wukesong Arena (Cadillac Center)
五棵松体育馆(凯迪拉克中心)
Exterior of arena (2021)
Map
Former namesWukesong Culture & Sports Center (2008–2011)
MasterCard Center (2011–2015)
LeSports Center (2016–2017)
Huaxi Live (2017)
Cadillac Arena (2017–present)
Address69 Fuxing Road
LocationHaidian District, Beijing, China
Coordinates39°54′36″N 116°16′29″E / 39.9099889°N 116.274664°E / 39.9099889; 116.274664
Public transitBeijing Subway Wukesong  1 
OwnerBloomage International Investment Group
OperatorAEG
Capacity19,000
9,000 (ice hockey)
Construction
Broke ground29 March 2005 (2005-03-29)
Opened11 January 2008 (2008-01-11)
Renovated2009
ClosedOctober 2008 – November 2009
ArchitectGu Yonghui
Tenants
Beijing Ducks (CBA) (2010–present)
HC Kunlun Red Star (KHL) (2016–present)
Beijing Lions (CAFL) (2016)
Website
Venue Website

The stadium has a capacity of 19,000 and covers an area of 63,000 square metres. It includes a modern, flexible ice hockey rink designed and produced by Finnish rink manufacturer Vepe Oy in November 2016.

In 2022, the arena hosted some of the ice hockey matches as part of the 2022 Winter Olympics.[1]

History

edit
The arena in February 2007
The arena during the 2008 Summer Olympics
Exterior of arena (c. 2008)

The stadium was constructed by "Beijing Wukesong Cultural & Sports Co. Ltd." whose five shareholders are Zhongguancun CENCONS Group, Haidian State-owned Assets Investment Co. Ltd, Beijing Urban Construction Group Co. Ltd, Beijing Urban Construction Co. Ltd and the Tianhong Group. After the Olympic Games, the center became an important part of Beijing's Olympic Games heritage, allowing citizens to enjoy cultural, sports, leisure, recreational, and commercial activities. It was a large-scale comprehensive project, rare in Beijing in integrating cultural, sporting, and commercial purposes with large-scale gardens and green spaces.

On 6 January 2011 MasterCard Worldwide, the rival of Olympic sponsor Visa, announced the acquisition of the naming rights to the center. It was renamed MasterCard Center effective from 21 January 2011. Nearly five years later, on 16 December 2015, LeTV Sports announced that it has obtained naming rights for the arena. It was officially renamed as LeSports Center on 1 January 2016. Beyond that, LeSports promised to provide a package of intellectual services inside and outside the arena.[2] After the closing of LeTV Sports, the arena was briefly named Huaxi Live.[3] Since September 2017, the Cadillac division of General Motors has owned naming rights for the arena.[4]

On 14 December 2015 the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) announced that its Beijing expansion team would play in the arena. On 5 September 2016, Kunlun Red Star defenseman Anssi Salmela scored the first goal in the arena's first hockey game and the first home goal for Kunlun in KHL. Red Star won the game 6–3.

The inside of the arena
Stephon Marbury shooting a free throw.

In 2017, 18,000 people attended the Chinese Basketball Association All-Star Game at the LeSports Centre.[citation needed]

Sporting events

edit

Entertainment

edit

The Wukesong Arena is the biggest entertainment venue in Beijing, with many international, regional and local artists having staged their performance at the venue that spans a wide range of musical genres. International artists are highlighted using light blue in the table while non-concert entertainment events are also included.

A list of entertainment events held at Wukesong Arena
YearDateNationalitiesArtistsTours
20086 OctoberCanadaAvril LavigneThe Best Damn World Tour
1 NovemberUnited StatesKanye WestGlow in the Dark Tour
200923 OctoberUnited StatesBeyoncéI Am... World Tour
201023 JanuarySouth KoreaSuper Junior2nd Asia Tour – "Super Show 2"[7]
14 MarchUnited StatesBackstreet BoysThis Is Us Tour
11 JulyUnited StatesUsherOMG Tour
2011
2 JanuaryTaiwan (ROC)Fei Yu-ching2011费玉清北京演唱会
21 JanuaryHong KongJacky CheungJacky Cheung 1/2 Century Tour
12 MarchUnited StatesEaglesLong Road Out of Eden Tour
26 MarchSouth KoreaRain2011 Rain Asia Tour
7 MayThe Girls Collection
13 MayGlorious Days – Pantheon Rock "n" Roll World Tour Concert
21 MayChina (PRC)Dao Langde Show Beel Live in Concert 2011
27 MayHong KongAaron Kwok郭富城武林正传世界巡回演唱会
28 May
3 JuneTaiwan (ROC)Chyi Yu
Michelle Pan
Tiger Huang
One-Fang
Power Woman
18 JuneTaiwan (ROC)Wakin Chau
Jeff Chang
Chyi Chin
Chao Chuan
Dave Wang
Angus Tung
老友记六人行2011北京大型演唱会
16 JulyTaiwan (ROC)Elva HsiaoE!VA萧亚轩WOW世界巡回演唱会-北京站
25 SeptemberIrelandWestlifeGravity Tour
201214 FebruaryCanadaAvril LavigneBlack Star Tour
22 FebruaryIrelandWestlifeGreatest Hits Tour
12 MarchSwedenRoxetteCharm School World Tour
6 AprilCanadaSum 41Screaming Bloody Murder Tour
7 JulySouth KoreaShinhwaGrand Tour: The Return[8]
8 AugustSouth KoreaBig BangAlive Galaxy Tour
25 NovemberUnited KingdomElton John40th Anniversary of the Rocket Man Tour
201324 MarchCanadaSimple PlanGet Your Hearts on Tour
4 MaySouth KoreaG-DragonOne of a Kind World Tour
5 May
13 AprilThe 1st V Chart Awards
25 MayUnited StatesBackstreet BoysIn a World Like This Tour
28 JuneUnited KingdomSarah BrightmanDreamchaser World Tour
20 JulySouth KoreaShinhwaGrand Tour: The Classic[9][10]
9 AugustMichael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour
10 August
11 August
22 AugustUnited KingdomPet Shop BoysElectric Tour
29 SeptemberCanadaJustin BieberBelieve Tour
1 OctoberUnited StatesThe KillersBattle Born World Tour
20144 FebruaryUnited KingdomJames BluntMoon Landing Tour
2 MarchCanadaAvril LavigneThe Avril Lavigne Tour
5 AprilUnited StatesBruno MarsMoonshine Jungle Tour
19 AprilSouth Korea2NE1All or Nothing World Tour
16 MayHong KongG.E.M.G.E.M. X.X.X. LIVE 世界巡回演唱会北京站
17 May
30 MayChina (PRC)Wanting Qu2014曲婉婷say the words 我为你歌唱 中国巡回演唱会
31 May
18 JulyTaiwan (ROC)Jeff Chang"华素 还爱光年" 世界巡回演唱会
2 AugustTaiwan (ROC)S.H.E2GETHER 4EVER 世界巡回演唱会
3 AugustTaiwan (ROC)MaydayJust Love It 拥抱演唱会
6 SeptemberChina (PRC)Hua Chenyu华晨宇火星演唱会
7 September
13 SeptemberSingaporeYida Huang黄义达十周年纪念演唱会
20 SeptemberChina (PRC)
South Korea
ExoExo from Exoplanet #1 – The Lost Planet
21 September
25 OctoberChina (PRC)Yang Kun杨坤"今夜20岁"北京演唱会
22 NovemberSouth KoreaSuper JuniorSuper Show 6
201514 JanuaryGolden Disk Awards
15 January
1 AprilUnited StatesPitbull2015 World Tour
18 AprilUnited StatesBackstreet BoysIn a World Like This Tour
9 MaySingaporeJJ LinTimeline:Genesis World Tour
6 JuneSouth KoreaBig BangMade World Tour
7 June
13 JuneChina (PRC)Bibi ZhouBOOM!
18 JulyChina (PRC)
South Korea
ExoExo Planet #2 – The Exo'luxion
19 July
19 SeptemberUnited KingdomMuse[11]Drones World Tour
201610 AprilThe 4th V Chart Awards
24 AprilUnited KingdomIron Maiden[12]The Book of Souls World Tour
2 JulyChina (PRC)Hua ChenyuMars Concert Season 3
3 July
8 JulyTaiwan (ROC)Jay ChouThe Invisible Show Tour
9 July
10 July
16 JulySouth KoreaBig BangMade V.I.P Tour
17 July
24 SeptemberHong KongWallace ChungSing For Live
6 OctoberUnited StatesKeshaKesha and the Creepies: Fuck the World Tour
21 OctoberHong KongJacky CheungA Classic Tour
22 October
23 October
201718 JanuaryUnited StatesMetallicaWorldWired Tour
17 JuneChina (PRC)Joker Xue薛之谦"我好像在哪见过你"巡回演唱会
26 AugustUnited StatesAriana GrandeDangerous Woman Tour
20187 MayUnited StatesFall Out BoyMania Tour
19 MaySingaporeJJ LinSanctuary World Tour
20 May
6 SeptemberUnited KingdomJessie JR.O.S.E Tour
201923 FebruaryChina (PRC)Rocket Girls 1012019火箭少女101北京飞行演唱会-Light
10 AugustTaiwan (ROC)Fei Yu-ching费玉清2019告别演唱会
13 AugustIrelandWestlifeThe Twenty Tour
202323 SeptemberIrelandWestlifeThe Wild Dreams Tour
24 September
20245 AprilHong KongJacky CheungThe Jacky Cheung 60+ Concert Tour
6 April
7 April
12 April
13 April
14 April
19 April
20 April
21 April

Baseball field

edit
The baseball field during the MLB China Series in 2008.

The Wukesong Baseball Field (simplified Chinese: 五棵松棒球场; traditional Chinese: 五棵松棒球場; pinyin: Wǔkēsōng Bàngqiúchǎng) was a baseball stadium located next to the Wukesong Indoor Stadium at the Wukesong Culture and Sports Centre in Beijing, China. It was one of the nine temporary venues at the 2008 Summer Olympics, hosting baseball events.

The baseball field had a total land surface of 12,000 square metres and a capacity of 15,000. It included two competition fields and one training field.

In March 2008, the stadium hosted two games between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres called the MLB China Series, marking the first time Major League Baseball teams played in China.

In what were to be the final Olympic Baseball matches in the foreseeable future, as the International Olympic Committee voted out the baseball event for the upcoming 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in favor of golf and rugby sevens,[13] Team USA clinched the bronze medal, while South Korea beat Cuba to claim the gold medal.[14] After the Olympic games ended, the facilities were demolished as planned, for a shopping mall called Bloomage LIVE · HI-UP.[15][16]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Lloyd, Owen (16 November 2021). "Wukesong Arena to showcase the "best ice" at Beijing 2022, American ice-maker claims". Insidethegames.biz. Dunsar Media. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  2. ^ "LeTV Sports to Name Beijing Wukesong Arena". CRIENGLISH.com. 18 December 2015. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  3. ^ Liu, Charles (18 July 2017). "Wukesong Arena Newly Renamed as "Huaxi Live" as LeTV's Financial Woes Continue". The Beijinger. True Run Media. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Cadillac Named Title Sponsor of Wukesong Arena in Beijing". 21 September 2017. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "NBA.com: NBA Global Games 2013: History of NBA Global Games". NBA.com. NBA. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Age of Dragons". 30 October 2018. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  7. ^ Kang, Seung-hun (26 January 2010). "Super Junior wraps up concert in Beijing". Asiae. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  8. ^ "2012 Shinhwa Grand Tour: The Return 신화 아시아 투어 콘서트 일정" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Shinhwa Company. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-13 (in Korean)
  9. ^ 神话备战北京演唱会 娱乐综艺"让道". Sina (in Chinese). 4 June 2013. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  10. ^ Hong, Grace Danbi (22 July 2013). "Shinhwa Burns Up the Night in Beijing and Wraps Up Asia Tour". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Beijing Events – the Beijinger". www.thebeijinger.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  12. ^ "Iron Maiden – To Play in China For First Time Ever – Metal Storm". www.metalstorm.net. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Castro blasts Olympics for dropping baseball – Beijing Olympics – NBCNews.com". NBC News. 16 July 2008. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  14. ^ "Photos: ROK glitters on diamond – The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games". En.beijing2008.cn. Archived from the original on 5 January 2011.
  15. ^ http://www.baltimoresun.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/maryland/bal-sp.maese22aug22,0,7134288.column [dead link]
  16. ^ Demick, Barbara (22 February 2009). "Beijing's Olympic building boom becomes a bust". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2009.
edit

Media related to Cadillac Arena at Wikimedia Commons

Events and tenants
Preceded by FIBA World Cup
Final venue

2019
Succeeded by