Forest National (French) or Vorst Nationaal (Dutch) is a multi-purpose arena located in the municipality of Forest in Brussels, Belgium. The arena can hold more than 8,000 people. It hosts indoor sporting events as well as concerts done by a wide variety of artists.
The arena, which opened in 1970, offers between 2,500 and 8,000 seats, depending on the event and is a member of European Arenas Association (EAA).[2] Known for its circular interior, it is owned by the Music Hall Group and operated by the Sportpaleis Groep.
History
Forest National opened on 8 October 1970 with a performance by Maurice Béjart's Ballet of the 20th Century.[3] Then it had a capacity of 5,500 seats. A renovation followed in 1995, which increased the capacity and improved lighting and sound systems.
In 2005, there were plans for a new venue on the border with Drogenbos and Sint-Pieters-Leeuw. It was to be almost twice as large (12,000 to 15,000 seats)[4] and should have been opened in September 2010.[5] However, on 3 September 2008, it was announced that the owner, Music Hall Group NV, had decided not to build a new concert hall.[6]
In 2013, the Sportpaleis Group took over the operation of the hall, while Music Hall Group remained as the owners.[7] The following year, renovations followed, with the seats numbered and new foyers provided. One of these foyers is located in an old backstage room where a 'Wall Of Fame' was created because artists wrote personal messages on the wall. This can be visited by the public. The renovation works were carried out in 2014 by Mathieu Gijbels and ABV + Architecten.[8]
Between 18 and 20 September 2015, in front of a total of 17,000 spectators, a new record attendance record for the Davis Cup in Belgium was set in the semi-final between Belgium and Argentina (3:2).[9]
Noted performers
International artists that performed in Forest National include:[10]
