Blackburn Arena

Blackburn Arena

File:Blackburn arena2.jpg
Blackburn Arena Location in Blackburn town centre
Location	Blackburn, Lancashire, England
Coordinates
Owner	Peel Group
Type	Ice arena
Capacity	3,200
Field size	60 × 30 m (197 × 98 ft)
Opened	1991 (1991)
Tenants
Blackburn Hawks Lancashire Raptors	1991– 2007–
Website
www.blackburnicearena.co.uk

File:Blackburn arena1.jpg

The arena can seat over 3,000 people

Blackburn Arena is an Olympic size ice arena in Blackburn, England, and the home of Blackburn Hawks and Blackburn Eagles ice hockey clubs. The arena, which opened in January 1991, by Christopher Dean & Jane Torville, holds 3,200 people, and has an ice pad of 60 by 30 metres (197 by 98 ft). In 2005, the arena underwent a refurbishment.

The arena is owned by Peel Group, who purchased it from the original owners, Blackburn Council. In 1990, during construction, planning permission was granted, to build an extra 1,000 seats at the back of the arena. It was built to coincide with Manchester's 1996 Summer Olympic bid, with the possibility of boxing contests being held there. In 1992, WCW (World Championship Wrestling) held a tour event at the arena, as did the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) in February 1993, and on 26 November 1994, rock band Status Quo held the only concert to date there from their Thirsty Work World Tour.

At Blackburn Arena, there is a junior development for ice hockey. There are teams for under 10s, under 12s, under 14s, under 16s and under 18s. All these teams go under the name of Blackburn Junior Hawks.

The arena is open seven days a week for public ice skating sessions. It also contains a Café, Figure Skating & Hockey Shop.