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| Location | Schijnpoortweg 119, 2170 Merksem, Antwerp, Belgium |
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| Coordinates | 51°13′52″N 4°26′28″E / 51.23111°N 4.44111°E |
| Owner | Province of Antwerp |
| Operator | nv Antwerps Sportpaleis |
| Capacity | 18,575[1] 23,001 (including standing)[1] |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 11 January 1932 |
| Built | 1932–33 |
| Opened | 11 September 1933 |
| Renovated | 2010–2013 |
| Expanded | 2013 |
| Architect | Apostel-Mampaey family |
The Antwerps Sportpaleis (English: Antwerp's Sport Palace), also called Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Sportpaleis Merksem or simply the Sportpaleis, is an arena in Antwerp, Belgium. It is a multipurpose hall used for organizing concerts, sporting events, festivals, and fairs. The arena was built for sport, especially track cycling, but there is now little sport there, an exception being the Diamond Games tennis.
According to Billboard Magazine, for the period 2007/8 Sportpaleis was the second most visited event hall in the world, second only to Madison Square Garden.[2] The Sportpaleis is known for performances by both Dutch-speaking and international artists. It also hosts the Nekka-Nacht, the Proximus Diamond Games tennis tournament for women and Pop Poll De Luxe, organised by the magazine HUMO.
The main building is 132 by 88 metres (433 by 289 ft) and has a roof spanning 11,600 square metres (125,000 sq ft). The arena is elliptical and has two floors. Until renovations in 2011, there was a 250-metre-long (270 yd) wooden cycling track under the stands.[3]
Next to the Sportpaleis is its sister venue, the Lotto Arena, a hall that can accommodate 8,000 spectators.
- ^ a b "Sportpaleis". beatvenues.be. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
- ^ VRT (3 February 2009). "Sportpaleis draws huge crowds". flandersnews.be. deredactie.be. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017.
- ^ "Capaciteit Sportpaleis wordt opgedreven". www.nieuwsblad.be (in Dutch). 14 June 2011.