Helsinki Halli
{{Short description|Multiuse indoor arena in Finland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Helsinki Arena
| nickname = Helsingin areena, Helsingforsarenan
| former_names = Hartwall Areena (1997–2014)
Hartwall Arena (2014–2022)
Veikkaus Arena (2025–)
| logo_image =
| image = Helsinki Arena March 2022.jpg
| caption =
| address = Areenankuja 1, Helsinki
| location = Helsinki, Finland
| coordinates = {{coord|60|12|20.66|N|24|55|44.03|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground = 2 April 1996
| opened = 19 April 1997
| closed = 2 March 2022
| reopened = September 2025
| renovated = 2015
| owner = Trevian Kasvu LP Ky (Reima Södervall, Heikki Viitikko)
| surface = Versatile
| architect = SCI Architects
| project_manager = Harry Harkimo
| main_contractors = Skanska
| capacity = 14,000 (basketball)
13,349 (ice hockey)
7,500–15,000 (concerts)
3,000–5,000 (amphitheater)
| tenants = Jokerit (1997–2022, 2025–Present)
| construction_cost = 300,000,000 mk
(69,000,000 in 2018 euros)
| website = https://www.veikkausarena.fi/
}}
Helsinki Halli, or Helsinki Arena (formerly Hartwall Arena; currently Veikkaus Arena), is a large multi-functional indoor arena located in Helsinki, Finland. {{Cite web |last=Tara |date=2025-02-17 |title=Helsinki Arena reopens after years of Russian ownership |url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/26154-helsinki-arena-reopens-after-years-of-russian-ownership.html#google_vignette |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Helsinki Times |language=en-gb}} It was opened in April 1997. The arena is convertible for various events. The total seated capacity during ice hockey games is 13,349 (about 14,000 for basketball, for concerts up to 15,000) and as an amphitheatre, it is significantly reduced to between 3,000 and 5,000.
The formerly{{Cite web |last=Lempinen |first=Marko |date=2024-11-12 |title=Nyt se on vihdoin totta: Entinen Hartwall-areena on myyty – tässä ovat ostajat |url=https://www.is.fi/urheilu/art-2000010826971.html |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Ilta-Sanomat |language=fi}} Russian-owned arena has been unused since March 2022 due to EU sanctions related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The main sponsor, Hartwall, also ended its sponsorship and the arena's name was changed.{{Cite web |last=Palkoaho |first=Milla |date=25 August 2022 |title=Julkisuutta kaihtava sijoittaja haluaa palauttaa Jokerit "Hartwall-areenalle" – Paavo Arhinmäki selittää vaikeaa haastetta |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000009026948.html |access-date=15 September 2022 |website=Helsingin Sanomat |language=fi}} In February 2025, the sale of the facility to new owners was concluded, with the arena scheduled to re-open in April or May.{{cite news |title=Entinen Hartwall-areena on myyty |url=https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000011039398.html |access-date=17 February 2025 |work=Helsingin Sanomat |date=17 February 2025 |language=fi}} On July 2025, the arena's new sponsor name was announced as Veikkaus Arena.
==Construction and facilities==
The initiative for building the arena came from Harry "Hjallis" Harkimo in 1994. It was built to be ready for the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1997, and was delivered by the constructor on 11 April 1997. The building is elliptical, 153 metres long and 123 metres wide. It also has a practice arena 37 metres underground, used by many hockey teams. It is connected to a multi-storey carpark, which has a total capacity of 1,421 vehicles.
The arena is situated next to Pasila railway station, which is the second busiest railway station in Finland, 3.5 km north of the Helsinki Central railway station.
Other and former names
The national broadcaster Yle calls the arena "Helsingin areena" or "Helsingforsarenan" ("the Helsinki Arena" in Finnish and Swedish). The newspaper Helsingin Sanomat calls it "Helsinki-areena".
It was branded as "Hartwall Areena" from its opening until 2014, and as "Hartwall Arena" thereafter until 2 March 2022. The beverage company Hartwall, also based in Helsinki, was its largest sponsor, and thus got the naming rights. Hartwall ended its sponsorship in March 2022, to avoid association with the then-Russian owners of the arena, Roman Rotenberg and Gennady Timchenko, in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In September 2024, the Finnish government announced that it would spend €200,000 on drafting a law that would allow the seizure of the arena from Rotenberg and Timchenko.{{Cite web |last=Maxim |first=Klimentiev |date=Sep 18, 2024 |title=The Government of Finland has announced that it is ready to spend €200,000 on drafting a law that would allow the seizure of the stadium in Helsinki from Rotenberg and Timchenko. |url=https://bookmaker-ratings.ru/news/finlyandiya-vy-delila-e200-ty-s-na-iz-yatie-stadiona-u-rotenberga-i-timchenko/ |website=The Bookmaker Ratings}} That November, Rotenberg and Timchenko sold their ownership of the arena to Finnish real estate investment company Trevian,{{Cite web |date=2024-11-12 |title=IS: Helsingin areena on myyty |url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20124199 |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}} with its CEO Reima Södervall along with Heikki Viitikko planning to have the venue reopened by early 2025.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-13 |title=Heikki Viitikko ja Reima Södervall ostivat Helsingin areenan – tämä heistä tiedetään |url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20124386 |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}} In February 2025 the deal was finalised, with the facility scheduled to re-open in September.
File:Hartwall Areena ESC 2007.jpg|Hartwall Areena in 2007
File:Areena-ylos-yo4edit.jpg|Helsinki Arena at night
File:Hartwall Arena 20180625.jpg|Hartwall Arena in 2018
Events
= Entertainment =
{{Main|List of entertainment events held at Helsinki Halli}}
= Sports =
The arena will once again be the home venue of the ice hockey team Jokerit in 2025.
The arena has also been used for Ice Hockey World Championships, World Figure Skating Championships, NHL Challenge, and World Cup of Hockey. On 2 October 2009, the NHL opened its season in the arena with a matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Florida Panthers, making it the first NHL game to be held in Finland. In May 2011, the arena served as the main venue of the 2012 IIHF World Championship. It hosted all Group A games and quarterfinals, all semifinals and the bronze and gold medal games. Group B games and quarterfinals were hosted in Ericsson Globe, Stockholm. It also co-hosted the 2013 IIHF World Championship with Ericsson Globe, but in 2013 all games after quarterfinals were played in Stockholm.
The arena was one of the host venues of the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Its assignment included hosting the gold-medal game, in which Kasperi Kapanen scored an Overtime goal to win Gold for Finland on home ice.
One of the group stages of EuroBasket 2017, was also played at the arena.
The arena hosted two 2018–19 regular season NHL games between the Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers on Thursday, 1 November 2018 and Friday, 2 November 2018 as part of the 2018 NHL Global Series.
File:Hartwallareena inside.jpg|Jokerit vs Rauman Lukko in 2007
File:Jokerit vs. Dinamo.jpeg|Jokerit vs Dinamo Riga in 2018
File:IHWC 2012 Awarding Russia, 20.05.2012, Helsinki, Finland.JPG|2012 IIHF World Championship Final
File:EuroBasket 2017 Finland vs Iceland 93.jpg|EuroBasket 2017, Finland vs Iceland
See also
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite news
| last1=Vuorikoski
| first1=Salla
| last2=Pietiläinen
| first2=Tuomo
| title=Hartwall-areenasta tuli Helsinki-halli, kun sen omistajat olivat lopulta Hartwallille liikaa – OP on pyörittänyt oligarkkien hallin pankkipalveluita
| date=2 March 2022
| access-date=6 March 2022
| url=https://www.hs.fi/talous/art-2000008653536.html
| publisher=Helsingin Sanomat
| language=Finnish
}}
{{cite news
| url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-panthers-to-play-in-finland-on-nov-1-2-475996253.html
| title=Jets, Panthers to play in Finland on Nov. 1, 2
| last=Bell
| first=Jason
| publisher=Winnipeg Free Press
| date=6 March 2018
| access-date=6 March 2022
}}
{{cite news
| last1=Tuominen
| first1=Antti
| title=Helsinki Areena uudistuu: sponsorinimestä katosi kirjain, katsomo sai jättinäytön
| date=14 August 2014
| access-date=6 March 2022
| url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-7409290
| publisher=Yle
| language=Finnish
}}
{{cite news
| last1=Hyyppä
| first1=Emma
| last2=Niemeläinen
| first2=Jonne
| title=Hartwall Arenan nimikyltit otettiin pois Helsingin areenasta – katso kuvat ja video historiallisesta hetkestä
| date=2 March 2022
| access-date=6 March 2022
| url=https://yle.fi/urheilu/3-12339818
| publisher=Yle
| language=Finnish
}}
}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Hartwall Arena}}
- {{Official website|https://www.veikkausarena.fi/}} {{in lang|fi|en}}
{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box | before = Helsingin jäähalli | title = Jokerit
Home arena | years = 1997–present | after = Current}}
{{succession box | before = Olympic Indoor Hall
Athens | title = Eurovision Song Contest
Venue | years = 2007 | after = Belgrade Arena
Belgrade}}
{{s-end}}
{{Navboxes|list1=
{{IIHF World Championship venues}}
{{EAA members}}
{{FIBA EuroBasket 2017}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1997 establishments in Finland
Category:Indoor arenas in Finland
Category:Ice hockey venues in Finland