www.stadiaworld.com SPORTS VENUES 2023/24 | 23 OPERATION ing to “CologneArena”), was officially opened on October 17, 1998. As part of a soft opening, however, the Sharks (KEC) began play in their new sporting home on September 11. Anchor tenant, operator and owner Since then, the Sharks have played uninterruptedly in Germany’s top ice hockey league as anchor tenants in the LANXESS arena. In Kaunas, too, the Lithuanian basketball club and anchor tenant Žalgiris Kaunas has been playing in the Žalgirio Arena since the arena opened. What is special about this is that the club also acts as the operator of the multifunctional arena. Already when the city of Kaunas approved the plans for the construction of a new arena, the club decided to become the operator of the arena. In the end, Žalgiris Kaunas was awarded the contract for 25 years with an option to extend. The owner, on the other hand, is the city of Kaunas. The situation in Cologne, however, is different. From 1998 to 2015, the arena was owned by the real estate fund “Köln-Deutz Arena und Mantelbebauung GbR”. On December 22, 2015, it was announced that the LANXESS arena would be transferred to the ownership of Junson Capital Company Limited from Hong Kong. ARENA Management GmbH remained the operating company. Well before the change of ownership, the arena’s name also changed. For a good ten years, the venue was officially called “Kölnarena” before the LANXESS chemicals group acquired the naming rights for an initial ten years. In 2017, the cooperation was extended ahead of schedule until December 31, 2023. External appearance and inner values Anyone walking toward the LANXESS arena, which is located near the river Rhine, will first notice the distinctive arch that spans the arena roof. As a feature of the arena, it carries the roof of the building. At the Žalgirio Arena, the large LED outdoor screen, which was even enlarged again in 2019, catches the eye quite quickly. At 83.5 x 4 meters, it offers space for sponsors and organizers and is also one of the largest in Europe. Both arenas are united by the material of the facade. Both the outer shell of the LANXESS arena and that of the Žalgirio Arena consist largely of transparent glass, which allows a view into the interior. Both arenas are also impressive on the inside. In Kaunas, for example, one of the largest outdoor LED walls in Europe is joined by a 262-meter LED fascia board between the lower and middle tiers and an LED cube with a surface area of 21.5 square meters each. In Cologne, on the other hand, the old LED cube was replaced in 2019 by four flying displays that can be moved independently of each other. At 8 x 4.5 meters, the four screens achieve a total of 144 square meters. As part of the replacement, a 360° LED ring was also installed on the lower box ring, which stretches 302 meters through the arena. In addition, the LANXESS arena upgraded to an individually movable sound system. Visitors to both the LANXESS arena and the Žalgirio Arena can therefore expect a special arena experience. Venue comparison: LANXESS arena vs. Žalgirio Arena LANXESS arena Žalgirio Arena Germany Country Lithuania Cologne City Kaunas 31 July 1996 Construction start 26 September 2008 17 October 1998 1) Opening 18 August 2011 153 million euros Cost 49 million euros Architekturbüro Peter Böhm Architect Eugenijus Mlinunas 20,000 Max. capacity 2) 20,000 Junson Capital Company Limited Owner City of Kaunas ARENA Management GmbH Operator Žalgiris Kaunas Kölner Haie (Ice Hockey) Main tenant Žalgiris Kaunas (Basketball) 1) Official opening; soft opening already on 11 September 1998. 2) Capacity for concerts. Source: Venues Picture: Zalgiris.lt Žalgirio Arena: EuroLeague Final Four 2023. Picture: STADIAWORLD Sketch: Žalgirio Arena
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