The O2
Opened on 1 January 1999 The O2 is operated by the Anschutz Entertainment Group entertainment complex in Greenwich ( London). It is located at Blackwall Point, the northernmost point of the Greenwich Peninsula. Said to 2005 Millennium Dome building is 365 meters in diameter and up to 52 meters of the largest single standing structure in the United Kingdom and the largest domed structure in the world. Its dimensions symbolize the number of days and weeks of a year. His twelve 100 meter high masts indicate the months of the year and on the dial of a clock. The zero meridian of Greenwich passes in the immediate vicinity of the hall. The roof covering of plastics is set to last several decades, however it is broken through at one point in order to make space for a built-up air opening of the Blackwall Tunnel. The design of this huge steel rope design by the architect Richard Rogers, who designed the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. The naming rights were purchased by the mobile phone company O2.
History to 2000
Within the built to celebrate the new millennium hall there was in 2000 to visit different areas:
- The body region in which you are traveling with a huge time machine
- The Learning Zone, where you can discover the future of education and work
- The play zone to represent the game as part of personal, social and cultural identity
- The Faith and Spirit Zone, which was designed to commemorate the creation of the largest world religions
- The Dream Zone, where you will get to know the creative and imaginative side of life
- The Living zone to promote awareness of environmental protection
The exhibition was closed in late 2000, shortly before the actual Millennium was celebrated. The dome is now regarded as a bad investment. One of the biggest critics is the British journalist Jeremy Clarkson who makes fun of the regular Millienium Dome in his glosses. 1999 was the Dome in the opening sequence of the James Bond film The World Is Not seen enough.
Presence
By 2007, the dome was rebuilt to a large sports arena with a capacity of 16,500 seats. He took a central role in the 2012 Olympic Games and the Paralympic Summer Games in 2012. During this time, the Dome of sponsors legal reasons, was officially called North Greenwich Arena. Here at the Olympic Games were held competitions in Artistic Gymnastics and Trampoline and the playoffs in basketball, for which the audience capacity was increased to 20,000 seats. At the Paralympics a part of the preliminaries and the finals were held in wheelchair basketball here.
On 29 September 2007 the North American Hockey League NHL opened its season 2007/ 08 at the Millennium Dome to the game against Anaheim Ducks Los Angeles Kings. The following day, the two sides met again. It was the first season opener of the NHL on European soil.
On October 10, 2007 preseason game of the North American basketball league NBA as part of NBA Europe Live Tour 2007 between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics took place.
From July 2009 to be held here fifty concerts by Michael Jackson. However, he died 25 June 2009, ie 18 days before the beginning of the concert series.
From 12th to 18th October 2009, the 41st Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in the arena.
Since 2009, find here the ATP World Tour Finals, the "Masters " tournament of the eight best male tennis player instead.
In addition, here the semi-finals and the final of the biggest indoor sports events of Britain take place, the PDC Darts Premier League.
Internally
The interior of the complex, there are a number of smaller structures and surfaces.
Thus, the main part, the O2 Arena, now mainly used as a concert hall, where visitors can find space to 20,000. Concerts were recorded for example by Barbra Streisand, Justin Timberlake, Keane, Kylie Minogue, Bon Jovi and the Spice Girls. 2007 Led Zeppelin gave an honorary concert for her late Ahmet Ertegun record producer. 2007 Prince held there for 21 concerts from, and placed so that the previous record of sold-out concerts at the O2 on. This was surpassed by Michael Jackson, from July 13, 2009 fifty concerts would be there to give that were sold in the regular sale in a few hours. From June 2009, Britney Spears gave eight concerts that took place as part of their " The Circus Starring Britney Spears" Tour 2009. All concerts were completely sold out. On February 20, 2010 Depeche Mode gave a concert in the O2 as part of the " Tour of the Universe " 2009/2010. On 18 and 19 December 2010, the "Cinema release of Simply Red 's last ever concert" took place, the last concert of the band., 2011, Rihanna 9 concerts as part of the Loud Tour.
Furthermore, there is a smaller venue within the complex named indigO2, the exhibition space O2 Bubble, a cinema center of the chain and a VUE center with restaurants and shops.