The Arena is being built by companies from almost every UK nation and region.
 
The 35 metre high, arching steel trusses which span 96m metres and 16 end trusses are being fabricated and assembled in Bolton with steel mostly produced in Teeside for the "big lift" on site by the Glasgow based lead-contractor Barr Construction.

Once the 1,000 tonne steel frame of the temporary 115 metre long Basketball Arena is complete it will be wrapped in 20,000 sq metres of fabric cut in Bristol , which will form a canvas for an innovative changing lighting design during the Games.

The temporary seating and accommodation around the venue will start to be installed this summer with the Arena on track to be complete by summer 2011 ready for test events.

During the Games will host basketball preliminaries and women’s quarter-finals and handball quarter-finals semi-finals and finals.

During the Paralympic Games it will host wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby .

The Arena will also house the athletes before they make their way down to the Stadium for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
 
John Armitt, the chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), said: "The Basketball Arena is taking shape in the new East London skyline alongside the Velodrome and Olympic Village.

"The innovative and efficient design and construction is testament to the excellence of the companies across the UK delivering what is the largest temporary venue on the Olympic Park."

Barr Arena will own the Arena structure, with the ODA renting it for the duration of the Games.

Afterwards, the contractor will dismantle it to be reused elsewhere.

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, said: "This is another example of a superb sporting structure taking shape on the Olympic Park.

"It also demonstrates the involvement of a number of companies across the UK and the benefits of hosting the Games."


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March 2009: London 2012 Basketball Arena given planning permission
October 2008: Exclusive - London 2012 seeking builder for basketball arena
May 2008: NBA chief joins in call for basketball not to be moved in 2012
May 2007: Olympic temporary venue search launched