Sydney Entertainment Centre
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| Address | Harbour Street |
|---|---|
| Location | Haymarket, Sydney |
| Coordinates | 33°52′42″S 151°12′10″E / 33.87833°S 151.20278°ECoordinates: 33°52′42″S 151°12′10″E / 33.87833°S 151.20278°E |
| Public transit | Sydney Light Rail |
| Owner | Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority |
| Operator | AEG Ogden |
| Capacity | Total: 13,250 Basketball: 10,517 |
| Acreage | 15,150 m2 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | July 1979 |
| Opened | 1 May 1983 |
| Closed | December 2015 |
| Demolished | 2016 |
| Construction cost | $42 million |
| Main contractors | John Holland Group |
| Tenants | |
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Sydney Kings (NBL) (1990–1999, 2002–2008, 2010–2015) Sydney Uni Flames (WNBL) |
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| Website | |
| www.qantascreditunionarena.com.au | |
Sydney Entertainment Centre (later known as Qantas Credit Union Arena) was a multi-purpose arena located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished in 1970 to make way for the Eastern Suburbs railway line. The centre was owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administered the neighbouring Darling Harbour area, and managed under a lease.
It was one of Sydney's larger concert venues, licensed to accommodate over 13,000 people as a conventional theatre or 8,000 as a theatre-in-the-round. It was the largest permanent concert venue in Sydney until 1999, when the Sydney Super Dome opened at Sydney Olympic Park. The venue averaged attendances of 1 million people each year and hosted concerts, family shows, sporting events and corporate events. It was demolished in 2016.
In December 1983, Cold Chisel played its final Last Stand concert.
Elton John has played numerous concerts there over the years, including eight dates in 1986 with an orchestra at Haymarket Arena. The latter shows were the last he performed prior to throat surgery. He has played 46 shows at the venue and was final artist to perform at the venue before its demolition in December 2015.
John Farnham finished his run of a record 76 concerts at the venue over three decades with a farewell gig December 16, 2015. He joked he got to take home the 6-foot entrance sign to the green room, dubbed 'The Farnham Room'.
In 1986, Dire Straits finished its 1985–86 world tour by playing 21 consecutive shows at the venue.
Also in 1986, Elton John performed the last leg of his Tour De Force with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the venue, playing 12 shows. Part of the last show, (performed on 14 December) was to be made into his next album, Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
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