The TSB Arena (formerly known as the Queens Wharf Events Centre and then TSB Bank Arena[1]) is an indoor arena in Wellington, hosting basketball games, roller derby, music concerts, conventions and exhibitions.
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Former names | Queens Wharf Events Centre (1995–2006) |
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Address | 4 Queens Wharf Wellington 6011, New Zealand |
Location | Wellington Central |
Coordinates | 41°17′8″S 174°46′44″E / 41.28556°S 174.77889°E |
Owner | Wellington City Council |
Operator | Venues Wellington |
Capacity | 5,655 |
Construction | |
Opened | 1995 |
Expanded | 2005 |
Architect | Craig, Craig & Moller |
Tenants | |
Wellington Saints (NBL) (1995–present) Central Pulse (ANZ) (2008–present) Richter City Roller Derby (WFTDA) (2009–present) | |
Website | |
https://www.venueswellington.com/venues/tsb-bank-arena-and-auditorium-shed-6/ |
About
editIn the 1990s Lambton Harbour Management, a company controlled by Wellington City Council, was involved in developing Queens Wharf as an entertainment area. Two large buildings, Queens Wharf Retail Centre and Queens Wharf Events Centre, opened in 1995. They were designed by the architect to look like wharf sheds. The retail centre was an immediate failure, and the building was sold in 1998 to be converted into office space.[2] The events centre, now known as TSB Arena, has continued to operate.[3]
The arena hosts mainly basketball games and is the home arena for the Century City Saints and part-time home arena of the New Zealand Breakers when they play in Wellington. It was also the home arena for the Richter City Roller Derby, which started to play here in the middle of their 2009 season.[4]
It also hosts expositions and conventions like the Armageddon Pulp Expo and the DCM Book Fair. Built in 1995, it originally held 3,635 people. In 2005, the number of seats was upgraded to 4,570 as part of a redevelopment and expansion plan. There were further plans to carry out upgrades to the Events Centre in 2007 although it is unknown if these plans went ahead.[5]
It also operates as a music venue, but does not have ideal acoustics and professional sound treatment; for example, the retractable stadium traps all reflections (early and late) also acting as a bass trap (wanted or unwanted), thus impairing a clear sound.[6] Liam Gallagher of Oasis complained bitterly about the sound quality while performing at the venue in 1998.[7] As a smaller live venue, TSB Arena is still able attract overseas acts.[8]
In 2005, the annual World of Wearable Art Awards (WOW) show moved from Nelson to Wellington, to the TSB Arena.[9][8]
In a feature article from 11 April 2007 edition of the Dominion Post, the Wellington Architectural Centre rated TSB Arena as Wellington's second worst building.[10] Also in 2007 the first Māori Art Market was held in the arena before moving to the suburban Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua City.[11][12]
In July 2011 Venues Wellington (formally Positively Wellington Venues), an integration between the Wellington Convention Centre and the St James Theatre Trust, began managing the arena along with five other venues in the capital city.[citation needed]
Concerts
edit
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Wellington Convention Centres
- ^ O'Neil, Andrea (17 July 2015). "Wellington's Queens Wharf failed to fire – 150 years of news". Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "TSB Arena, Wellington – Eventfinda". www.eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ "TSB Arena in Wellington, New Zealand". www.wellington-guide.ca. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Wellington City Council Events
- ^ Burgess, Dave (20 December 2014). "Railyards venue plan for concerts". Dominion Post. ProQuest 1638178295.
Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perks said [...] "It has a lot to do with sound quality and seating arrangements. My understanding is that TSB [Arena] is the wrong shape, and elevation, and all of these things. TSB has always been something of a compromise between a concert hall, a sporting venue and a conference space."
- ^ FYFE, Anna (11 March 1998). "Oasis could learn from Beatles". Dominion. ProQuest 315019029.
- ^ a b "Events at TSB Arena - Stuff Events". Stuff. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Livingston, Tom (26 September 2019). "WOW gears up for another successful season in the capital". Stuff. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ WellUrban: Shooting fish at the bottom of the barrel
- ^ "Maori Art Market". www.maoriartmarket.com. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Wellington's Toi Maori Art Market arrives late thanks to November earthquake". Stuff. 15 March 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Shelton, Lindsay (25 November 2011). "Ronan Keating coming to Wellington in February". Wellington Scoop. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ^ "The Black Keys: SOLD OUT". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Sweetman, Simon (8 November 2012). "Review: The Black Keys in Wellington". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Reece Mastin Beautiful Nightmare 2013 Tour". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Sweetman, Simon (25 February 2013). "Review: Reece Mastin at TSB". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "OneRepublic Auckland & Wellington Shows Announced". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "OneRepublic". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Win a meet and greet with OneRepublic". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "OneRepublic to rock Wellington". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Leonard Cohen". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Tour news: Leonard Cohen to play three NZ shows". NZ Herald. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Mushroom Group (27 July 2013). "Leonard Cohen returning to Wellington in December". scoop.co.nz (Press release). Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Scherer, Jule (18 December 2013). "Review: Leonard Cohen in Wellington". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Arctic Monkeys announce two NZ shows". stuff.co.nz. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Slash - World On Fire". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "SLASH - World On Fire Tour - Hamilton, Wellington". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Dastgheib, Shabnam (17 February 2015). "Slash warns fans not to expect any tricks". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Ed Sheeran". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Scherer, Jule (11 April 2015). "Review: Ed Sheeran feels the love in Wellington". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Ricky Martin". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Fagan, Josh (18 April 2015). "Ricky Martin's still got the moves". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ Morris, Colin (19 April 2015). "Review: Ricky Martin gives Wellington what it wants". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots Emotional Roadshow World Tour". eventfinda.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Twenty One Pilots announce more New Zealand shows". stuff.co.nz. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ^ "Take That". wellingtonnz.com. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
- ^ "Imagine Dragons". Fontier Touring. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
External links
edit- Media related to TSB Bank Arena at Wikimedia Commons