Construction has begun on the Basketball Arena as Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Public Health and Sport in Scotland, visited the Olympic Park with the Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), John Armitt.

The Basketball Arena will play a key role during the Olympic Games, with 12,000 seats for the Basketball preliminaries and quarter-finals, as well as the Handball semi-finals and finals. During the Paralympic Games it will have a capacity of 10,000 for Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby.

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Initial work on site will include some preparatory investigations for the foundations for the arena. Glasgow-based Barr Construction will start on site in the spring to build the main structure of the Arena.

Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health and Sport, said: "I congratulate Barr on winning the contract to build the main structure of the Basketball Arena and am pleased to see work beginning on site.

"The Scottish Government has been quite clear that we want to see Scottish companies get their fair share of the range of contracts from London 2012.

"The experience of bidding and hopefully winning more London 2012 contracts can only benefit companies as they prepare for the range of contracts on offer for Glasgow 2014."

The Arena will be the largest temporary venue built for any Games. There is no legacy requirement for the Basketball Arena as the Handball Arena will be turned into a multi-purpose sports centre.

(CD)