The Horácká Multifunctional Arena (HMA) in Jihlava has opened its doors after more than two years of intensive construction work.
Project and construction manager DELTA Group said it is the largest sports and cultural building in the modern history of the Vysočina Region in the Czech Republic.
The venue was designed by architect Chybik + Kristof (CH+K) and it will be the home of local ice hockey team HC Dukla.
CH+K said the arena can accommodate crowds for various events beyond ice hockey, transforming into a venue for concerts, large-scale events, exhibitions, and cultural festivals.
The new arena was built on the site of the original ice stadium, which served the city of Jihlava for an incredible 68 years. Demolition began in the summer of 2023.
The Horácká Arena is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies:
- LED cube (6 × 6 × 5 m, weighing nearly 5 tons)
- 360° LED boards with 11 million diodes
- 2.4 tons of audio equipment with a power output of 126,000 watts
- 268 km of electrical cables – the distance from Jihlava to Havířov
- 20.8 km of cooling pipes beneath the ice surface
The venue has a capacity of 5,581 seats for hockey, 7,416 for concerts and 1,200 for trade fairs and exhibitions.
The complex includes accommodation, a brewery, fitness center, gym, rooftop running track, hall of fame, fan shop, and 10 food service outlets.
Josef Prokeš, Project Manager at DELTA Group, said, “Construction was extremely demanding both technically and logistically – from precise coordination of dozens of trades in a tight urban environment to phased installations linked to the commissioning of technologies.
“One interesting feature is the use of waste heat and excess cold from ice surface cooling for water heating, underfloor heating, or cooling of interior spaces via air handling systems.”
David Beke, City Councilor of Jihlava, added, “Horácká Arena is currently one of the most modern multifunctional arenas in the Czech Republic. While it is the home base of the Dukla hockey team, the venue can accommodate virtually all types of sports, and cultural and social events should also play a major role.”
An integral part of the complex is the accommodation facility in the corner building, offering comfortable amenities for sports teams, tournament participants, and visitors to cultural events. This makes Horácká Arena a comprehensive multifunctional center capable of hosting multi-day sports and social events.
Horácká Arena in Numbers
- 263 reinforced concrete piles (2.5 km)
- 10,000 m³ of monolithic concrete + 3,160 m³ of prefabricated structures
- 37,380 tons of demolition material
- 44,800 m³ of excavated soil
- 1,215 tons of steel structure
- 268 km of cables, 20.8 km of cooling pipes
- 4,498 light fixtures (including 1,197 emergency lights)
Erik Štefanovič, Managing Director of DELTA Group, said, “Horácká Arena proves that public buildings can be technologically advanced, architecturally distinctive, and efficiently managed.
“We thank the City of Jihlava, the Vysočina Region, the National Sports Agency, and all partners (GEMO, CHYBIK + KRISTOF, etc.) for their trust.
“A big thank you goes to our team – people who are goal-oriented and stick together until the end. Thanks to them, the atmosphere on the project was exceptional throughout the entire 26 months. That is the greatest value for us.”
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