Nokia Arena (Tampere)

Nokia Arena,^[3][4] also known by its non-sponsored name Tampere Deck Arena (Finnish: Tampereen Kannen areena), is an indoor arena in Tampere, Finland, which hosts ice hockey games and large cultural events. It is the home arena of Ilves and Tappara of the SM-liiga. Its construction was approved by the City Council of Tampere on 19 May 2010,^[5] and it was officially opened on 3 December 2021.^[2][6]

Nokia Arena

Nokia-areena
The arena, with the hotel on top, in May 2022
Full name	Tampere Deck Arena (Tampereen Kannen areena)
Former names	Tampere Deck Arena Tampere Central Multipurpose Arena UROS LIVE
Address	Kansikatu 3
Location	Tampere, Finland
Coordinates	61.493952°N 23.772955°E / 61.493952; 23.772955
Owner	KOY Tampereen Monitoimiareena
Operator	Tampere Deck and Arena Management Oy
Executive suites	63
Capacity	13,455 (ice hockey) 15,000 (concerts)
Record attendance	13,054
Field size	60 m (200 ft) by 28 m (92 ft)
Acreage	50,000 m2[1]
Screens	Center-hung media cube, two ribbon displays
Construction
Broke ground	2018
Opened	3 December 2021 (2021-12-03)[2]
Construction cost	€124 million (estimated)
Architect	Daniel Libeskind
Structural engineer	Ramboll Finland
Main contractors	SRV-yhtiöt [fi]
Tenants
Tappara (ice hockey) Ilves (ice hockey)
Website
nokiaarena.fi/en/

The NHL teams Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche played two games at Nokia Arena in the 2022 NHL Global Series on 4–5 November 2022,^[7][8] and during the upcoming 2024 NHL Global Series, Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers will play at Nokia Arena on 1–2 November 2024.^[9] Nokia Arena hosted back-to-back IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in 2022 and 2023.^[10]

On 10 February 2024, the venue hosted Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), the Finnish selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.^[11] In 2025, it will host the group phase matches for the FIBA EuroBasket.

Background

The opening ice hockey game at the arena.

After delays, the arena and the adjacent mixed use high-rise development got a final approval and construction began in January 2018. The final plan calls for a deck to be built over a railway line. This deck will have the multi-purpose arena (at least 13,455 seats),^[12] offices, commercial development, housing, a hotel and a casino. The overall vision was designed by Daniel Libeskind.^[13][14] The arena was completed by December 2021,^[15] in time for the 2022 IIHF World Championship. The rest of the development is to be completed by 2024.^[16] Casino Tampere will also open in connection with the arena,^[17][18] and according to preliminary plans, the casino will employ about 80 people.^[19] Lapland Hotels [fi] opened a luxury hotel called Lapland Hotels Arena next to the arena on 12 December 2021.^{[20][21][22][23]}

The match between Ilves (yellow and green) and Tappara (blue and orange) on December 3, 2021 at Nokia Arena

In March 2020, it was announced that, under a ten-year sponsorship agreement with the UROS Group in Oulu, the arena would be called "UROS LIVE".^[24] The naming caused a small scale scandal due to name's overly masculine tone, as uros means "male" in Finnish.^[25][26] The agreement was terminated on 28 October 2021 due to Uros Oy's financial problems, and the name of the arena was changed as a result.^[27] Nokia Corporation was chosen as the new sponsor on 19 November 2021, and the arena was renamed as "Nokia Arena".^[3][4]

The first scheduled events in the arena were the local matches of the Finnish Championship League on 3 and 4 December 2021. It was originally scheduled to open on 15 December,^[28] but later the official opening was brought forward to 3 December.^[2]

Nokia Arena opening

Concerts

Date	Artist(s)	Tour/Event
15 December 2021	Eppu Normaali with the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra[29]	Arena opening
16 December 2021	Popeda[30]	Voitto kaikesta Tour
17 December 2021	Raskasta Joulua[31]
26 March 2022	Lauri Tähkä[32]
22 April 2022	Nightwish[33]	Human. :II: Nature. World Tour
27 April 2022	Ghost[34]	Imperatour
17 June 2022	Eric Clapton[35]
19 June 2022	Evanescence[36]
24 July 2022	Queen + Adam Lambert[37]	The Rhapsody Tour
25 July 2022
20 September 2022	Sting[38]	My Songs Tour
23 October 2022	Volbeat[39]	Servant of the Road World Tour
12 November 2022	Ellinoora, Kaija Koo, Jenni Vartiainen & Vesala[40]	Mestarit Tour [fi]
5 December 2022	Haloo Helsinki![41]
17 December 2022	Suvi Teräsniska[42]
18 December 2022	Raskasta Joulua[43]
2 February 2023	Dream Theater[44]	Top of the World Tour
5 March 2023	Robbie Williams[45]	XXV Tour
24 March 2023	Yö[46]	40th Anniversary Concert
31 March 2023	Antti Tuisku[47]	Mayhem Tour
1 April 2023
4 April 2023	Andrea Bocelli[48]	Believe World Tour
3 June 2023	Iron Maiden[49]	The Future Past Tour
4 June 2023
24 November 2023	Jarkko Ahola & Valtteri Torikka[50]	Kuninkaiden paluu
9 December 2023	Raskasta joulua[51]
27 April 2024	Blind Channel[52]	Exit Emotions Tour
5 June 2024	Judas Priest[53]	Invincible Shield Tour
5 July 2024	Bryan Adams[54]	So Happy It Hurts Tour

Transport

Nokia Arena is easily accessible by public transport, being located 600 meters from the Tampere central railway station and 350 meters from the long-distance bus station. The nearest stops on the Tampere tramway are also approximately 600 and 350 meters away, for lines 3 and 1 respectively. Several local bus routes run on the nearby streets. During the 2023–24 Liiga and CHL seasons, hockey game tickets are also valid tickets for the buses, trams and trains of Nysse, the regional transport authority.

For private cars, there are few parking spaces at the arena but several parking facilities are available nearby. Before and after major events, the streets around the arena may be closed to vehicular traffic.

See also

• Finland portal
• Ice hockey portal

• List of indoor arenas in Nordic countries
• List of Finnish ice hockey arenas
• Tampere Ice Stadium

References

1. "Arena information". Nokia Arena (in Finnish). Retrieved December 3, 2023.
2. "Tämä on kaikille se eka kerta" – näin Tampereen liikenne muuttuu, kun 13 000 ihmistä menee uudelle areenalle perjantaina – YLE (in Finnish)
3. Finnish Tampere Deck Arena is now Nokia Arena – GlobalNewswire
4. Tampere Deck Arena Becomes Nokia Arena – Nokiamob.net
5. "Tampereen monitoimiareena -hanke läpi myös valtuustossa". Rakennuslehti (in Finnish). May 20, 2010.
6. Nokia Arena avataan perjantaina, mutta sen seisomakatsomo ei toimi vieläkään: ”Pomppiminen ja jatkuva seisominen on valitettavasti kielletty” – Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish)
7. Rosen, Dan (April 22, 2022). "Predators-Sharks, Avalanche-Blue Jackets to play in NHL Global Series". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
8. "NHL Global Series lands to Tampere and Nokia Arena on November 4-5". City of Tampere. October 27, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
9. Rosen, Dan (March 12, 2024). "2024 Global Series to feature Sabres, Devils, Panthers, Stars". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
10. "IIHF - To Tampere & Riga in 2023". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
11. "Tampere welcomes Contest for New Music UMK to the City | www.tampere.fi". www.tampere.fi. October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
12. "Tampere, Finland". Ramboll Group.
13. Fazzare, Elizabeth (December 16, 2021). "Daniel Libeskind’s Design in Finland Is the World’s Most Exciting New Stadium". Architectural Digest. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
14. Tampereen Kannen alue on arkkitehti Daniel Libeskindin mielestä todellinen 2000-luvun hanke – "Uskon, että alueesta tulee ikoninen ja kiinnostava" – YLE (in Finnish)
15. Nieminen, Elina (August 26, 2020). "Tampereen areena valmistuu joulukuussa 2021". YLE (in Finnish).
16. Roth, Raili; Airo, Tatu (October 2, 2017). "Tampereen Kannen ja areenan työt käynnissä – Lue tästä kaikki tulevien vuosien suurimmasta rakennushankkeesta". Aamulehti (in Finnish).
17. Nurmi, Teemu (June 30, 2021). "Tällainen on uusi Casino Tampere – "Elokuvista tulleet mielikuvat ovat vääriä...", James Bondkin tarvitsisi pian kasinokortin". Tamperelainen (in Finnish). Retrieved November 18, 2021.
18. Korte, Henriikka (October 22, 2021). "Tampereella avaa pian ovensa kaupungin ensimmäinen kasino – Katso tuoreet kuvat työmaalta: "Ei haluta tehdä tästä mitään paheellista"". Aamulehti (in Finnish). Retrieved November 18, 2021.
19. Morgan, Adam (September 1, 2020). "Veikkaus Oy unveils projected opening date for Finland's new Casino Tampere". World Casino News. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
20. Haapala, Riina (September 10, 2020). "Uros Live -areenan katolle suunnitellaan näköalasaunoja ja kattoterassia". Tamperelainen (in Finnish). Retrieved November 15, 2021.
21. Zitting, Marianne (November 13, 2021). "Tällaista ei Suomessa olla ennen nähty! Tampereen uutuushotelliin tulee ainutlaatuisia huoneita". Iltalehti (in Finnish). Retrieved November 15, 2021.
22. Keto-Tokoi, Jenna (December 13, 2021). "Tampereen Nokia-areenan hotelli aukesi – Katso kuvat ja lue tunnelmat avajaispäivästä: "Olin ovenkahvassa juuri kun avattiin"". Aamulehti (in Finnish). Retrieved December 14, 2021.
23. Ruissalo, Pekka (December 15, 2021). "Lapland Hotels Arena on hienosäätöjä vaille valmis – "Tapahtumahotelli kiinnostaa asiakkaita"". Tamperelainen (in Finnish). Retrieved December 17, 2021.
24. "Tampere Deck Arena lands Uros as naming-rights sponsor". SportBusiness. March 6, 2020.
25. "Men only? Tampere's new arena gets a very masculine name | News Now Finland". March 5, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
26. "New €125 million leisure complex in Tampere to be named 'UROS Live' attracts online mockery and criticism". www.helsinkitimes.fi. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
27. Yle (October 28, 2021). "Uros oy sai potkut – Tampereen areena jatkaa nimellä Tampereen Kannen areena". yle.fi. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
28. "Tampereen areena rasitti rakennusyhtiö SRV:n tulosta: aikataulun kiinni kiriminen aiheutti lisäkustannuksia". Yle Uutiset. October 28, 2021.
29. "Hullu idea radan päälle rakennettavasta jättiareenasta heräsi eloon virallisissa avajaisissa". Aamulehti (in Finnish). December 12, 2021.
30. "Popeda oli liekeissä Tampereen uudella Nokia-areenassa". Ilta-sanomat (in Finnish). December 16, 2021.
31. "Raskasta Joulua -kiertueella mukana oleva Noora Louhimo: "Olin innosta piukeana kun kuulin että Pate Mustajärvi on messissä"". Radio Sun (in Finnish). December 19, 2021.
32. "Lauri Tähkän yltiöromantiikka veti Nokia-areenalle lähes 10 000 katsojaa". Aamulehti (in Finnish). March 27, 2022.
33. "Viime viikonloppu kuului Nightwishille ja Lähiöbotoxille". Soundi (in Finnish). April 25, 2022.
34. "Ghost toi Tampereelle näyttävän spektaakkelin". Soundi (in Finnish). April 28, 2022.
35. "Eric Clapton väläytteli Tampereella taituruuttaan, mutta outo murjottaminen häiritsi". Soundi (in Finnish). June 16, 2022.
36. "Yhdysvaltalainen Evanescence veti Nokia-areenaan tummanpuhuvan yleisön". Aamulehti (in Finnish). June 20, 2022.
37. "Queen + Adam Lambert hurmasi boheemilla rapsodiallaan". Tamperelainen (in Finnish). July 25, 2022.
38. "Legendaarinen rockin veteraani Sting täräytti konserttinsa käyntiin Tampereella". Aamulehti (in Finnish). September 20, 2022.
39. "Volbeat hurmasi riffeillään ääriään myöten täynnä olleen areenan". Tamperelainen (in Finnish). October 24, 2022.
40. "Oliko uuden sukupolven Mestarit mestarillinen Nokia-areenassa ja millainen oli jättikonsertin kemia?". Aamulehti (in Finnish). November 13, 2022.
41. "Suomen suosituimpiin yhtyeisiin kuuluva Haloo Helsinki! hurmasi täpötäyden Nokia-areenan asenteellaan ja huudatti yleisöä". Aamulehti (in Finnish). December 5, 2022.
42. "Suvi Teräsniskan joulukonsertti Nokia-areenalla oli lämmin kokemus". Aamulehti December 18, 2022 (in Finnish).
43. "Raskasta Joulua nousi tuhkasta Feenix-linnun tavoin keikkajärjestäjän konkurssin jäljiltä ja täydellisti monen joulun odotuksen". Tamperelainen (in Finnish). December 19, 2022.
44. "Dream Theater tyylitteli Nokia-areenassa". Aamulehti (in Finnish). February 3, 2023.
45. "Supertähti Robbie Williams villitsi Nokia-areenan sunnuntai-iltana". Aamulehti (in Finnish). March 5, 2023.
46. "Yön juhlakonsertti tarjoili 30 laulun komean kattauksen hittejä". Aamulehti (in Finnish). March 25, 2023.
47. "Antti Tuisku avasi Mayhem-kiertueensa Nokia-areenalla". Aamulehti (in Finnish). March 31, 2023.
48. "Nokia-areena nousi hurmokseen: Andrea Bocellin voima on ääni ja suuri sydän". Aamulehti (in Finnish). April 5, 2023.
49. "Suomalaiset ottivat Iron Maidenin vastaan kuin pikkulapset joulupukin". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). June 4, 2023.
50. "Kuninkaiden paluu oli sekava mutta näyttävä hitti-ilta, jossa pääosaan nousivat miesäänen ulottuvuudet". Kulttuuritoimitus (in Finnish). November 26, 2023.
51. "Raskasta joulua leimautti joulutunnelman kattoon". Aamulehti (in Finnish). December 10, 2023.
52. "Blind Channelin energinen show sai aikaan hurmoksen Nokia-areenalla". Tamperelainen (in Finnish). April 28, 2024.
53. "Judas Priestin metalliuho lähentelee uskonnollista hurmosta". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). June 6, 2024.
54. "Bryan Adams veti Tampereella ylipitkän konsertin ja osoitti nostalgian voiman". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). July 6, 2024.

External links

Media related to Nokia Arena (Tampere) at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (in English)
• Nokia Arena at Visit Tampere (in English)