WEMBLEY ARENA (ORIGINALLY THE EMPIRE POOL)

Wembley Arena, originally the Empire Pool, currently known as OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, Greater London, England. The 12,500-seat facility is Greater London's second-largest indoor arena after the O2 Arena, and the ninth-largest in the United Kingdom.

The Empire Pool (also known as Empire Pool and Sports Arena) was built for the 1934 British Empire Games by Arthur Elvin. As its original name suggested, it was where the games' swimming events were held. The pool was last used for the 1948 Summer Olympics. The modern arena is now used as a venue for music, comedy, family entertainment and sport.

The building was designed by the engineer Sir Owen Williams.

Work on the Empire Pool began in November 1933, and it was opened on 25 July 1934 by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. The swimming pool itself was 200 feet (61 m) long and 60 feet (18 m) wide with a removable deck for ice skating.

Ice hockey was introduced to the Empire Pool in October 1934.

In 1940 the Empire Pool was used to billet several hundred Gibraltarian evacuees who were removed from Gibraltar as the Fortress was extensively reinforced in expectation of heavy Axis attack and possible Invasion.

In October 1976, the Empire Pool was awarded Grade II Listed status, protecting it and recognising it as a building of special architectural interest, technological innovation and virtuosity.

On 1 February 1978, the Empire Pool was renamed Wembley Arena.