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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) |
|---|---|
| Address | 4 Queens Wharf Wellington 6011, New Zealand |
| Location | Wellington Central |
| Coordinates | 41°17′8″S 174°46′44″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/ | |
In 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, were officially opened by Sir Peter Blake on 18 November 1995.[2] The buildings were designed by the architect to look like wharf sheds, but were criticised for being out of scale with other waterfront buildings.[3] Lobby group Waterfront Watch described the events centre as "a monstrous eyesore resembling a Soviet ablution block".[4][2] The retail centre was an immediate failure, and the building was sold in 1998 to be converted into office space.[5] The events centre continued to operate, and in 2006 was renamed the TSB Bank Arena after TSB Bank bought the naming rights for an eight-year period.[6]
When it was opened the events centre had capacity for between 3500 and 4000 spectators.[4][2] There was seating on the ground floor and on a mezzanine floor, and all the seats were retractable.[2] The main hall had a sprung wooden floor.[2]
In 2002, then mayor Kerry Prendergast suggested that the events centre be converted into a convention centre,[3] but in 2005 the number of seats was increased to 4,570 as part of a redevelopment and expansion plan. Further upgrades took place in 2014.[7]
In a newspaper article in April 2007, the Wellington Architectural Centre rated TSB Arena as Wellington's second worst building (after New World Chaffers), saying it was inward-looking, unengaging and "awful" for its prime waterfront location. The architect responded:
Our original design was for a much lower-scale building with active edges for shops, restaurants and marine-related activities. During the development phase by the client the brief changed to include much larger and inward-looking facilities. The size and nature of the building grew dramatically, despite vigorous advocacy by us for the original design and scale. It went ahead in that form and proved to me how in the early 1990s, aggressive commercial attitudes resulted in questionable outcomes.[8]
In July 2011 Venues Wellington (trading as Positively Wellington Venues), an organisation created from a merger of the St James Theatre Charitable Trust and the Wellington Convention Centre and controlled by Wellington City Council, began managing the arena along with five other venues in the city.[9][10]
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The arena hosts 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.[11] It hosts expositions and conventions such as the Armageddon Pulp Expo and the DCM Book Fair. In 2005, the annual World of Wearable Art Awards (WOW) show moved from Nelson to Wellington, to the TSB Arena.[12][13] In 2007 the first Māori Art Market was held in the arena before moving to the suburban Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua City.[14][15]
The arena 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.[16][17] Liam Gallagher of the band Oasis complained bitterly about the sound quality while performing at the venue in 1998.[18] As a smaller live venue, TSB Arena is still able attract overseas acts.[13]
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