Palaverde

Palaverde is an indoor sporting arena located in Villorba near Treviso, Italy. Opened in September 1983 it has been used mainly for basketball and volleyball.

Palaverde

Location	Via Guglielmo Marconi, 14, Villorba, TV 31020, Italy
Coordinates	45°43′27″N 12°15′45″E
Capacity	5,344 seats (basketball)[1] c. 6,000 seats (concerts)[2]
Surface	Maple wood
Construction
Broke ground	18 March 1983[3]
Built	September 1983[3]
Opened	24 September 1983[3]
Tenants
Universo Treviso Basket (2014–present) Imoco Volley (2012–present)

History

The Palaverde was constructed under the impulsion and with the funding of the Benetton Group. The professional basketball club they owned, Pallacanestro Treviso, had had to play in Padua because the arenas in Treviso, such as the Natatorio sports complex, were not up to the standards of the professional basketball leagues. Tired of the slow progress, if not end, of the municipality's efforts to offer a suitable arena, the Benetton family proceeded to have the arena built.^[3]

In addition to hosting basketball and volleyball (see tenants), the arena has been the venue for tennis, karate and dancing competitions whilst also hosting a number of major concerts from artists such as Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Cure, Oasis, The Cranberries and Marilyn Manson.^[4] It was chosen to host the 2011 Eurocup Finals in April of that year,^[4] and the Italian Cup of women's volleyball Final Four in 2014.^[1]

Structure

The Canadian maple wood court is built into the ground, sitting 15 meters below street level which ensures that all seats have a clear view of the court, over which hangs an NBA style cubic scoreboard with four giant screens. The arena has three VIP lounges, six dressing rooms for players, two for referees and judges, a weight room, a physician's area, a press room and a TV interview room in addition to extensive parking spaces outside.^[4]

For concerts, the capacity is upped by a thousand seats as part of the court can be used to give a capacity of more than 6,000, there are three dressing rooms specifically designed for events.^[2]

Tenants

It was the home of Benetton Treviso from its opening until the club ceased professional activities in 2012, also hosting Sisley Treviso, another Benetton sponsored club, from 1987 to 2011 and neighbours Reyer Venezia basketball club during the 2011–12 season whilst they were upgrading their stadium.^[5]

Since 2012 it has hosted Imoco Volley, a women's professional volleyball club, and since 2014, Universo Treviso Basket, who have replaced Benetton Basket as the city's professional basketball club.

References

1. "PalaVerde". TrevisoBasket.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 August 2015.
2. "Palaverde". ImocoVolley.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 August 2015.
3. Focarelli, Silvano (23 September 2009). "Buon compleanno, caro Palaverde" [Happy birthday, dear PalaVerde]. LegaBasket.it (in Italian). La Tribuna di Treviso. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
4. "Palaverde, the home of the 2011 Eurocup Finals". EurocupBasketball.com. 15 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
5. Spinazzi Lucchesi, Serena (2 December 2011). "Taliercio, carte ok ma tempi lunghi Reyer al Palaverde tutto l'anno" [Taliercio, authorisation given but delays [as well]. Reyer at the PalaVerde all year]. CorrieredelVeneto.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 August 2015.