Sportpaleis
The Antwerps Sportpaleis (), also called Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Sportpaleis Merksem or simply the Sportpaleis, is an arena in Antwerp, Belgium. It is a multipurpose hall where concerts, sporting events, festivals and fairs are organized. 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. 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 and has a roof spanning . The arena is elliptical and has two floors. Until renovations in 2011, there was a wooden cycling track under the stands. Next to the Sportpaleis is its sister venue, the Lotto Arena, a hall that can accommodate 8,000 spectators. History Construction of the arena started on 11 January 1932. It lasted 21 months and was completed on 11 September 1933, becoming the largest indoor arena in Europe. The Sportpaleis was built by the Apostel-Mampaey family from Boom. They were internationally renowned velodrome builders from 1907 until the Second World War. The velodrome builders of Boom were very much in demand. They built tracks in Gentbrugge (1911), Wilrijk 'Garden City' (1916), Nice and Marseille (1920), Ostend (1921-1946), Brussel-Heizel (1932) and Oudenaarde (1933). The famous 'Kuipke' in Ghent (1922) and the even more famous Sportpaleis in Deurne (1933). In 2008, a book "De velodroombouwers Apostel-Mampaey" was published. On 29 September 1956, road cycling world champion Stan Ockers died a few days after a crash in his 116th performance at the track. The UCI Track Cycling World Championships were held at the Sportpaleis in 1969 and 2001. On 19 November 1988, Roy Orbison gave his last European performance at the Sportpaleis. Janet Jackson was scheduled to perform during her All for You Tour on 29 November 2001, but the show was cancelled along with the rest of her European tour because of possible terrorist threats. The same happened on her 2016 Unbreakable World Tour, but because of scheduling conflicts. In 2010, the arena's roof was replaced, and during 2011–2013 a €20million re-development took place, increasing its total capacity from 18,400 to 23,001 (including standing). American R&B singer Beyoncé performed at the Sportpaleis as part of her The Beyoncé Experience Tour on 19 May 2007. She returned on 7 May 2009 for her I Am... World Tour and on 14 and 15 May 2013, as part of The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, where she sold 33,000 tickets in just an hour. The first show on 14 May 2013 was cancelled three hours before the show and rescheduled to 31 May 2013. She subsequently beat her own record by selling 40,000 tickets in under one hour for two 2014 concerts at the venue. Dutch symphonic metal band