Olympic Stadium (Russian: Олимпийский стадион) (known locally as Olimpiyskiy) was an indoor arena located in Moscow, Russia. It was built for the 1980 Summer Olympics and, divided into two separated halls, hosted the basketball and boxing events.[2] It was closed in March 2019, and was subsequently demolished in 2020 for the construction of a new complex.[1]
Reconstruction
The new Olimpiyskiy Arena construction process (November 2020, December 2020, June 2022, June 2024)
On 1 January 2019, the sports complex was closed for reconstruction, which is scheduled to last until 2025. The pool is closed in the summer of the same year. On 3 March, demolition of the main arena started and continued till 25 December 2020, when the sport complex buildings was completely demolished for further reconstruction. The reconstruction project was developed by the architectural bureau of the Kievskaya Ploshchad Group of companies together with the APA company.
After the reconstruction, the complex will consist of four buildings, three of which will be combined by a stylobate and a system of transitions: the Main Building, Aquatic Complex, Sports and Recreation Complex and Small Concert Hall. According to the data released during the arrival of Sergei Sobyanin for a 3rd term as the Mayor of Moscow, Olimpiyskiy provides for the creation of: a concert venue with capacity for 12,000 people, a cinema cluster, a water amusement park, a shopping space, an exhibition space, etc. The renovated sports complex will retain swimming and jumping pools, there will be gyms, tennis courts, an indoor ice rink, a wellness and rehabilitation complex, a beach sports center - in total, more than 100 playgrounds and play areas for more than 30 sports have been announced.
A part of the "Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex", it made up one architectural ensemble with another venue, constructed at the same time, the Swimming Pool. Its capacity was 80,000 people, and the stadium could hold up to 16,000 people for televised events.[3]
In May 2014, the Government of Moscow auctioned 65% of shares in the stadium that it previously controlled. Oil company ZAO Neftegazprod won the auction, paying ₽4,672 billion rubles (approximately €100 million euros).[4] Sporting events held at the stadium included the Davis Cup finals and the Kremlin Cup tennis tournament.[citation needed]
The venue hosted the World Boxing Super Series men's, cruiserweight final between Oleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev in front of 24,000 fans in attendance on 21 July 2018. Usyk won the fight comfortably, becoming the first fighter at cruiserweight to unify all four world title belts. Muhammad Ali's widow, Lonnie Ali, presented the Ali trophy to Usyk after the fight.[8]
