Kwandong Hockey Center

The Gangneung Hockey Centre, located in Surigol-gil, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea, is a premier venue for ice hockey and other ice sports events. Here is a detailed description of its meeting, conference, and event facilities:

Meeting and Conference Facilities

• Press Conference Rooms:

• Capacity: 180 seats in the main press conference room and 50 seats in the secondary press conference room.
• Services: These rooms are equipped with a raised stage, sound system with fixed and roaming microphones, and a camera platform with sound splits. Interpretation services are available in multiple languages, including English, Korean, German, Russian, and Japanese. The rooms also feature television monitors and Info+ terminals with printers for accessing start lists, results, flash quotes, and event previews and reviews.

• Workrooms:

• Capacity: 250 workstations.
• Services: Each workstation is equipped with power outlets, internet ports, and shared television monitors carrying the event feed. Workrooms also have TV screens airing live feeds of the venue’s competitions and Info+ terminals with printers. Help desks provide general assistance to media, including competition details and transportation schedules.

• Media Lounge:

• Services: The media lounge offers free tea, coffee, and water. Food and other refreshments are also available for purchase. This area provides a comfortable space for media personnel to rest and work during events.

• Mixed Zones:

• Function: The mixed zones allow press to conduct brief interviews with athletes immediately after they compete. These areas are equipped with television monitors, microphones, and speakers to amplify athletes’ responses. Paralympic News Service reporters work in the mixed zones to gather athletes’ comments, which are then published on Info+.

• Tabled and Non-Tabled Tribunes:

• Capacity: The venue has 27 tabled tribune seats and 70 non-tabled tribune seats.
• Services: Tabled seats in press tribunes offer free WiFi, cabled internet ports, electrical outlets (220V), and shared television monitors carrying the event feed. Telecommunications equipment can be ordered through the Press Rate Card for installation in the press tribunes.

Event Facilities

• Ice Rinks:

• Capacity: The main venue and the practice arena each have one Olympic-size ice rink (60x30 meters).
• Services: The ice rinks are designed to meet the specifications of both Olympic and Paralympic ice hockey events. The practice arena is built to the same specifications as the main venue, ensuring seamless transitions between events.

• Team Amenities:

• Capacity: The team locker rooms take up more than half of the available space on the first floor.
• Services: Each locker room is equipped with its own toilet, shower room, massage room, and coach's office. This ensures that athletes have all the necessary facilities to prepare and recover during events.

• Spectator Capacity:

• Capacity: The venue can accommodate 10,000 spectators.
• Services: The seating arrangement is designed to provide excellent views of the ice rink, with three tiers from ground level. The exterior is octagonal-shaped and whitewashed, adding to the venue's aesthetic appeal.

Post-Event Use

After the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the Gangneung Hockey Centre will continue to be used for various events. The city of Gangneung plans to keep the venue operational as part of its strategy to turn Gangneung into a winter sports hub. Daemyung Group will manage the facilities for five years post-Games, with plans to launch an ice hockey team and host concerts and other events.