OWL Arena

{{Short description|Multi-purpose stadium in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = OWL Arena

| nickname =

| logo_image = OWL-Arena Logo.svg

| image = Image:GerryWeberStadion.JPG

| caption = The Gerry Weber Stadion during the Handball World Cup 2007

| fullname =

| location = Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

| coordinates = {{Coord|52|03|47|N|8|20|56|E|region:DE-NW_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}

| broke_ground =

| built =

| opened = 1993

| renovated = 1994 (Sattler Europe), 2005

| expanded =

| closed =

| demolished =

| owner =

| operator = OWL Sport & Event Verwaltung GmbH

| surface = Grass court

| construction_cost = € 35 million (1993)
€ 3.5 million (renovated 2005)

| architect = [http://www.sattler-ag.com/sattler-web/en/ Sattler Europe][https://www.sattler-global.com/textile-architecture/membrane-architecture-1465.jsp Center Court, Halle, Westfalen, Germany] roof: Sattler Europe

| structural engineer =

| services engineer =

| general_contractor =

| project_manager =

| main_contractors =

| former_names = Gerry Weber Stadion (1993–2020)

| tenants = Halle Open (tennis) (1993–present)

| seating_capacity = 12,300 (tennis)
11,000 (handball)

| dimensions =

| scoreboard =

}}

OWL Arena, formerly Gerry Weber Stadion, is a multi-purpose stadium, located in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany. The capacity of the arena is 12,300 people and it opened in 1993.

In early 2020, a consortium of 13 sponsors became owner of the venue and its name was changed to OWL Arena.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/gerry-weber-stadium-to-be-renamed-owl-arena/|title=Gerry Weber stadium to be renamed OWL Arena|date=15 January 2020|website=SportBusiness}}{{cite web |url=https://www.owl-arena.de/news/artikel/gerry-weber-stadion-wird-zur-owl-arena-neues-sponsoring-konzept-mit-bislang-13-unternehmen-aus-der/ |title=Gerry Weber Stadion wird zur OWL ARENA • Neues Sponsoring-Konzept mit bislang 13 Unternehmen aus der Region Ostwestfalen-Lippe • Auch neuer Firmenname ab sofort: OWL Sport & Event GmbH & Co. OHG |publisher=owl-arena.de |language=German |date=4 February 2021 |accessdate=4 February 2021}}

==Facilities==

Image:GerryWeberStadium2009.JPG

The stadium has a retractable roof which can be closed in 88 seconds, which rules out the risk of tennis matches having to be suspended because of rain. It is one of the few grass court tennis venues around. The stadium is heated and also used for other sport events (handball, basketball, prisonball, volleyball and boxing), TV shows and concerts.

Halle Gerry-Weber-Stadion railway station is located 500m from the stadium on the Osnabrück to Bielefeld railway line.