Essex Sport Arena Opening

The University of Essex is launching its new £12 million indoor Essex Sport Arena by hosting a huge community day with special guests including Olympic gymnast Max Whitlock MBE and The Rt Hon John Bercow MP.

To be held on Saturday 27 January 2018 from 10.00am - 4.00pm the day will include free drop-in fitness classes, courses and more, something for everyone to get involved in and enjoy.

Throughout the day, visitors can try their hand at touch and cardio tennis, walking netball, drop-in fitness classes, children's games and sessions run by the new Max Whitlock Gymnastics School which will open for children aged between four and eleven, at the new arena in February, places are currently available to book online.

Chancellor of the University of Essex and Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow will also be at the event to officially open the Essex Sport Arena.

From 2.00 pm there will be a schools’ basketball tournament involving players from eight local primary schools.

The new space, with seating for 1655 spectators, offers international standard sporting facilities, suitable for staging televised sporting events. These include eight badminton courts, three basketball courts, three netball courts, five volleyball courts and two futsal courts, which will be available for hire to sports groups.

Director of Sport at the University of Essex Dr Dave Parry said, "The Essex Sport Arena will be a significant regional and national sport competition and spectator venue as well as an important contributor to local and regional strategies linked to sport participation and physical activity initiatives." It will also be the home of the newly formed academic School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences.

Already one of the country's leading netball teams, The Benecos Mavericks, has arranged to play some of this season's home fixtures at the venue.

For more information please don't hesitate to call us on 01206 873250 or email sport@essex.ac.uk.