Rotterdam Ahoy

Event arena in the Netherlands

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Rotterdam Ahoy

Ahoy Arena in 2020, the plaza building (right) is now redeveloped as RACC and RTM Stage

Address| Ahoyweg 10
3084 BA Rotterdam
Netherlands
Coordinates| 51°52′58″N 4°29′17″E﻿ / ﻿51.88278°N 4.48806°E﻿ / 51.88278; 4.48806
Owner| Ontwikkelingsbedrijf Rotterdam
Operator| AEG / ASM Global
Built| 1968–1970; 55 years ago (1970)
Inaugurated| 15 January 1971; 54 years ago (1971-01-15)
Renovated| 1980, 1998, 2011
Expanded| 1980, 1997, 2020

Former names

| Ahoy Rotterdam
Banquet/ballroom| 650 (Congreszaal)

Theatre seating

| 16,426[1] (Ahoy Arena)
6,000 (Club Ahoy)
4,000 (Theater Hal 1)
7,819 (RTM Stage)
Enclosed space
• Total space| 54,000 m2 (580,000 sq ft)
• Exhibit hall floor| 32,230 m2 (346,900 sq ft)
• Breakout/meeting| 2,825 m2 (30,410 sq ft)
• Ballroom| 30,000 m2 (320,000 sq ft)
Parking| 2,000 spaces
Public transit access|  D E Zuidplein
Website
ahoy.nl

Rotterdam Ahoy (formerly known as Ahoy Rotterdam or simply as Ahoy) is a multi-purpose complex with a convention centre and an indoor arena located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Opened originally in 1950, the current complex consists of three main venues: a fairs and events hall, a congress and conference centre, and the main venue the Ahoy Arena. The latter (informally known as the Sportpaleis, lit. 'Sport Palace')[2] opened on 15 January 1971 and is the largest multi-purpose venue in the Netherlands, with a capacity of 16,426 as of May 2019.[1][3]

## Background and history

[edit]

### Original exhibition hall

[edit]

The venue has a history dating back to 1950. After the devastation of World War II, the entire city of Rotterdam needed to be rebuilt, as practically nothing was left standing. Five years after the end of the war, the works at the city and their harbor was almost finished. To celebrate the last phase, an exposition called Rotterdam Ahoy! was held. The exhibition was held in a single hall that was built for the occasion and was located where the Erasmus MC is exactly today.[4] The temporary exhibition hall was called Ahoy'-Hal and was used for both national and international events until 1966 when local authorities decided to demolish the hall. The hall was badly damaged during the North Sea flood of 1953, when was used as shelter for the victims.[5][6] After 1966, temporary accommodation was found at Hofdijk/Pompenburg in the center of Rotterdam, on the site of an abandoned airstrip.

### Current Ahoy complex

[edit]

Ahoy Arena (Sportpaleis) during the six-day track cycling race in 1975 Rotterdam Ahoy in April 2007

The current complex began to take shape in 1968. As the Sportpaleis, originally designed as an indoor velodrome,[7] and its three annexes were completed in 1970. The official opening of the Sportpalais took place during Six Days of Rotterdam, a six-day track cycling race, and was in the presence of the Prince Claus on 15 January 1971. However, in September 1970, the first fair, the Femina Fashion and Household Fair,[8][9] already took place before the official opening, in the Ahoy Halls.[10][11] The complex's striking design won various national and international awards. The design of the venue took inspiration from the relation of the Dutch people and the water, with the building laid out like a ship.[citation needed]

Due the high demands, two further halls were added to the complex in 1980. The main arena was converted into a multi-use arena in 1988, when the arena's cycling track was dismantled, due to disuse, in order to increase the capacity of the arena, which is still in demand for shows and other types of events. In 1998, the complex was expanded again to include a sixth event hall and a main reception hall (known as the plaza) designed by the architectural firm Benthem Crouwel. Another expansion take offices, catering facilities as well as smaller conference and meeting rooms were built. The main entrance to the Sportpaleis was also redesigned and the concrete footbridge from the Zuidplein (which was connected to a shopping centre and metro station) was demolished.[12] The bridge was partly removed, so that it now ended at a staircase that led to the square in front of the reception hall. The demolition of the last section started on 3 March 2017,[13] after the bridge had become unsafe due to a truck colliding with one of the bridge's girders earlier that week.

In 2005, a (now removable) cycling track was built in Ahoy for the revived Six Days of Rotterdam racing event. The main arena building was comprehensively modernised between 2010 and 2011. The arena's overall capacity was increased, the capacity was increased by 5,000 (from 10,500) and could now hold around 15,000 spectators following the installation of new grandstands and extra seating.[14] In addition to the new grandstands, Dutch lighting company Signify installed a new custom-made 1,000 m2 LED screen wall on the facade of the arena.[15] Since April 2021, the complex has been equipped with 5,200 solar panels which supply large events with sustainable energy 195 days a year.[16]

Entrance to RACC and RTM Stage in June 2022

In July 2018, construction work began on an extension to the Ahoy complex. Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre (RACC) and RTM Stage, designed by Kraaijvanger Architects [nl], opened at the end of 2020 and is directly connected to the Ahoy Plaza. The new premises, featuring a dual-purpose 7.000 concert hall and 2,750-seat auditorium/theatre (expandable to 4,000), adds an additional 35,000 square metres of floor space. On the 2nd and 3rd floors there are 35 break out rooms, varying in capacity from 50 to 1,000, that can be used separately or combined and a 2,300 m2 Expo Foyer which can be used for gala dinners, expos and receptions.[17] In December 2023, construction of a new parking garage began on Ahoy's old P3 parking lot. The new garage, in between the new Ibis hotel and Ahoy forecourt, has room for 628 cars and is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2024.[18] In 2017, it was announced that a Pathé cinema would also be built adjacent to the forecourt.[19]

The artists' entrance to the main arena was renamed "Door Duncan" in 2020, in honor of Duncan Laurence (who was born in nearby Spijkenisse) who in 2019 brought the Netherlands its first victory in the adult Eurovision Song Contest since 1975.[20]

## Events

[edit]

### Sports

[edit]

2015 Women's European Volleyball Championship Final at Ahoy Arena 2023 Rotterdam Open at Ahoy

It has hosted sports competitions such as the Rotterdam Open and Six Days of Rotterdam every year and is one of the venues for Premier League Darts since 2016. Other international events held in the arena include:

* 1973 European Athletics Indoor Championships
* 1973 Ice Hockey World Championships
* 1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
* 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship
* 2009 World Judo Championships
* 2010 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
* 2011 World Table Tennis Championships
* 2014 UCI BMX World Championships
* 2015 Women's European Volleyball Championship
* 2017 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
* 2019 Men's European Volleyball Championship
* 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship

It was a venue for the European finals of Superstars, the televised all-around sports competition from 1975 to 1977 and again in 1979.

In 2016, the venue hosted the mixed martial arts event UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Arlovski.[21]

In 2017, the venue again hosted the UFC for UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Struve.[22]

### Music television

[edit]

Ahoy during the Eurovision Song Contest 2021

The 1997 and 2016 MTV Europe Music Awards and the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 were also held in the Ahoy Arena.[23][24] Rotterdam Ahoy was also planned to be the host venue for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. It would have been the second venue to host both the junior and adult editions of the contest, after the Palace of Sports, Kyiv in Ukraine.[25] On 18 March 2020, the EBU announced the cancellation of the contest due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the arena was later utilised as a field hospital.[26][27] Instead, Rotterdam Ahoy hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 which took place on 18, 20 and 22 May 2021.[28]

### Concerts

[edit]

The arena is one of the main venues for large concerts in Rotterdam.

In June 2022, My Chemical Romance performed at the arena as part of their Reunion Tour.[29]

Lee Towers has the record for the number of concerts; 51 in total.

## See also

[edit]

* List of tennis stadiums by capacity
* List of convention centres in the Netherlands
* List of indoor arenas in the Netherlands

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Veelgestelde vragen - Rotterdam Ahoy" [Frequently asked questions - Rotterdam Ahoy]. Ahoy.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
2. ^ "Gideon Karting: WORKS 2020". Ahoy (in Dutch). 18 December 2020. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. "(...) in de Ahoy Arena, ook wel bekend als het sportpaleis van Rotterdam Ahoy." [(...) in the Ahoy Arena, also known as the sport palace of Rotterdam Ahoy.]
3. ^ Bird, Lisa (30 August 2019). "Rotterdam 2020: Get to know the Ahoy Arena". ESCXTRA. Archived from the original on 29 September 2019.
4. ^ "Historie Ahoy' Rotterdam" (PDF) (in Dutch). Ahoy. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 October 2012.
5. ^ "History: The North Sea Flood 1953 and the response by the TNO Physics Laboratory staff – Museum Waalsdorp". Retrieved 13 April 2021.
6. ^ "Rescue missions and emergency assistance". Zeeuws Archief. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
7. ^ "Ahoy Arena". STEAD. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
8. ^ "E.C.A. SHOW GUIDES DUTCH HOUSEWIVES; Exhibit at Rotterdam Femina Fair Emphasizes Savings by Avoiding Waste Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES". The New York Times. 9 October 1951. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
9. ^
* https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/Femina-Rotterdam.html
* https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/femina-rotterdam
10. ^ "Dwars door 50 jaar historie! - Rotterdam Ahoy". www.ahoy.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 April 2021.
11. ^ "'Exhibition Ahoy' (Black and White)". Alamy. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
12. ^ "Benthem Crouwel - Ahoy". Benthem Crouwel. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020.
13. ^ "Geen nieuwe voetgangersbrug bij Ahoy". rijnmond.nl (in Dutch). 2 March 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
14. ^ "40-jarig Ahoy niet bezorgd over concurrentie Ziggo Dome - rotterdam". 3voor12 (in Dutch). 20 January 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
15. ^ "Livingprojects - Façade Rotterdam Ahoy". Livingprojects. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
16. ^ "Roof of Rotterdam Ahoy is source of sustainable energy". Eneco. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
17. ^ "Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre (RACC)". Kraaijvanger (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 August 2019.
18. ^ "Bouw van nieuwe gigantische parkeergarage bij Ahoy van start". www.dehavenloods.nl (in Dutch). 1 December 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
19. ^ "Nieuwe bioscoop Pathé naast Rotterdam Ahoy". www.dehavenloods.nl (in Dutch). 20 December 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
20. ^ "🇳🇱 Rotterdam Ahoy renames a part of the arena in honour of Duncan Laurence". ESCXTRA.com. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
21. ^ UFC (8 May 2016). "UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Arlovski". ufc.com. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
22. ^ UFC (2 September 2017). "UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Volkov vs. Struve". ufc.com. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
23. ^ "MTV Europe Music Awards". Songkick. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
24. ^ "Junior Eurovision Song Contest (2007)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 10 February 2017.
25. ^ Van Lith, Nick (30 August 2019). "Rotterdam to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2020!". ESCXTRA. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
26. ^ "Official EBU statement & FAQ on Eurovision 2020 cancellation". Eurovision.tv. 18 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020.
27. ^ Meijer, Bart; Jones, Gareth; Heavens, Andrew (30 March 2020). "Rotterdam concert hall to admit coronavirus patients instead of Eurovision fans". Reuters. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020.
28. ^ Tarbuck, Sean (16 May 2020). "Rotterdam will host Eurovision Song Contest 2021!". ESC United. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020.
29. ^ Brand, Lianne (3 June 2022). "LIVE REVIEW: My Chemical Romance - Rotterdam Ahoy // NINE:32". NINE:32 (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 March 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Rotterdam Ahoy at Wikimedia Commons

* Official website

Events and tenants

Preceded by

Palais des Sports
Grenoble

|  European Indoor Championships in Athletics
Venue
1973 | Succeeded by

Scandinavium
Gothenburg

Preceded by

None

|  FIFA Futsal World Championship
Final Venue
1989 | Succeeded by

Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong

Preceded by

Sala Polivalentă
Bucharest

|  Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Venue
2007 | Succeeded by

Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
Limassol

Preceded by

Expo Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv

|  Eurovision Song Contest
Venue
2020 (cancelled)
2021 | Succeeded by

Pala Alpitour
Turin

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Music venues in the Netherlands

Amsterdam|

* ADM (closed)
* Concertgebouw
* AFAS Live
* Johan Cruyff Arena
* Ziggo Dome
* Paradiso
* Melkweg
* Bitterzoet
* Bimhuis
* Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ
* OCCII
* OT301
* Jaap Edenhal (closed)

Rotterdam|

* Ahoy
* De Doelen
* Rotown
* WORM
* Baroeg
* Poortgebouw

The Hague|

* Koninklijke Schouwburg
* Paard van Troje
* Statenhal (closed)

Utrecht|

* ACU
* Central Studios (closed)
* De Helling
* Moira
* Muziekcentrum Vredenburg (closed)
* Tivoli Oudegracht (closed)
* TivoliVredenburg

Other cities|

* Almelo: Sub Rosa (closed)
* Arnhem: GelreDome, Rijnhal (closed)
* Den Bosch: W2, Brabanthallen, De Toonzaal
* Eindhoven: Effenaar, Muziekgebouw Frits Philips
* Haarlem: Patronaat
* Helmond : Plato (closed)
* Hoorn: Manifesto
* Horst: Zopo (closed)
* Kaatsheuvel: Apollo (closed)
* Leiden: Groenoordhallen (closed)
* Nijmegen: Extrapool, Concertgebouw de Vereeniging (closed)
* Noord-Scharwoude: De Koog (closed)
* Tilburg: 013
* Zwolle: IJsselhallen

Music festivals|

Active
Arrow Rock Festival (Biddinghuizen)
Best Kept Secret (Hilvarenbeek)
Down the Rabbit Hole (Beuningen)
Lowlands Festival (Biddinghuizen)
Neurotic Deathfest (013, Tilburg)
Pinkpop Festival (Landgraaf)
ProgPower Europe (Baarlo)
Roadburn Festival (013, Tilburg)

Former
Dynamo Open Air (Eindhoven, Nuenen, Nijmegen; 1989-2005)
Fields of Rock (Nijmegen; 2002-2007)

* v
* t
* e

European Arenas Association members

Current
(by region)|

| Central|

* Accor Arena (Paris)
* Barclays Arena (Hamburg)
* Festhalle Frankfurt
* Forest National (Brussels)
* Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle (Stuttgart)
* Olympiahalle (Munich)
* Paris La Défense Arena
* Porsche-Arena (Stuttgart)
* Rockhal (Luxembourg)
* Rotterdam Ahoy
* Uber Arena (Berlin)
* Wiener Stadthalle (Vienna)

|

East|

* Gliwice Arena
* O2 Arena (Prague)
* Tauron Arena Kraków
* Twinsbet Arena (Vilnius)
* Unibet Arena (Tallinn)
* Xiaomi Arena (Riga)
* Žalgiris Arena (Kaunas)

|

North|

* Malmö Arena
* Nokia Arena (Tampere)
* Scandinavium (Gothenburg)
* Stockholm Live
* 3Arena
* Annexet
* Avicii Arena
* Hovet
* Södra Teatern
* Strawberry Arena
* Unity Arena (Oslo)

|

South|

* Arena Milano (Milan)
* Hallenstadion (Zurich)
* László Papp Budapest Sports Arena (Budapest)
* MEO Arena (Lisbon)
* Movistar Arena (Madrid)
* Navarra Arena (Pamplona)
* Palacio Vistalegre (Madrid)
* Palau Sant Jordi (Barcelona)
* Roig Arena (Valencia)
* St. Jakobshalle (Basel)
* Unipol Forum (Milan)

|

West|

* AO Arena (Manchester)
* bp pulse LIVE (Birmingham)
* Co-op Live (Manchester)
* The O2 Arena (London)
* OVO Hydro (Glasgow)
* SSE Arena (Belfast)
* Wembley Arena (London)

|

Former|

* Arena Zagreb
* Belgrade Arena
* Főnix Aréna (Debrecen)
* Gatorade Center (Turku)
* Helsinki Halli
* ISS Dome (Düsseldorf)
* PalaLottomatica (Rome)
* Utilita Arena Birmingham

* v
* t
* e

Sport in Rotterdam

Football clubs|

* Feyenoord
* Feyenoord (women)
* Sparta Rotterdam
* Excelsior Rotterdam
* Excelsior Rotterdam (women)
* SC Feyenoord
* VV Pernis
* ~~TOGR~~
* VOC

Other
sport clubs|

* 010 Trojans (American football)
* Feyenoord Basketball
* Hockey Club
* Neptunus (baseball)
* Panda's (ice hockey)
* Pitbulls (rugby league)
* RZ (basketball)
* Rotterdam Jaguars (Lacrosse)
* Skadi Rowing Club

Events|

* Derby
* Half Marathon
* Rotterdam International Open
* Marathon
* Monaco aan de Maas
* Rotterdam Open
* Rotterdam Tour
* Six Days of Rotterdam

Venues|

* Ahoy
* De Kuip
* Energiehal (closed)
* Hazelaarweg Stadion
* Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel
* Sportcomplex Varkenoord
* Sportpark Laag Zestienhoven
* Van Donge & De Roo Stadion

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Culture in Rotterdam

Events|

* Architecture Biennale
* Architecture Film Festival
* Camera Japan Festival
* Eurovision Song Contest 2021 ( ~~2020~~ )
* IFFR
* Motel Mozaïque
* North Sea Jazz Festival
* Summer Carnival
* World Port Days

Museums|

* Boijmans Van Beuningen
* Chabot Museum
* Het Nieuwe Instituut
* Kunsthal
* Kunstinstituut Melly
* Maritime Museum
* Museum Rotterdam
* Natural History Museum
* Netherlands Photo Museum
* Rotterdam Public Transport Museum
* Wereldmuseum

Venues|

* Ahoy
* Baroeg
* De Doelen
* Rotown
* WORM

Education|

* Codarts
* Erasmus University
* Islamic University of Rotterdam
* Piet Zwart Institute
* Rotterdam Business School
* University of Applied Sciences
* Willem de Kooning Academy

Assorted|

* 1999 Rotterdam riots
* Bokito (gorilla)
* Cinerama
* Gabber
* Kapsalon
* Rotterdam Design Award
* Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
* Rotterdam Records
* Rotterdam School
* Rotterdam Study
* Rotterdam Zoo
* The Destroyed City

* Category
* Commons

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz place

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