Wembley Arena / The Empire Pool and Sports Arena 1934

Opened July 25, 1934 by Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester.
Ice Hockey was first played here on October 25, 1934.

The building was designed by the engineer Sir Owen Williams.

Opened just in time to host the swimming and diving events for the 1934 British Empire Games.

A swimming pool in summer and ice Hockey rink with skating events in winter were the main sporting facilities that the building was designed for, the floored-over pool soon found plenty of other uses. Before the end of 1934, it had already staged boxing and basketball matches, and a professional tennis tournament which became an annual feature.

Bicycle track racing and greyhound dog racing would also be included in scheduling.

The 1948 Summer Olympics held swimming, diving, water polo and boxing events in and on Empire Pool.

When the 1948 Olympic Games finished, so did the swimming pool, as it was never used again, and the venue would be a indoor arena only.

In October 1976, The Empire Pool was awarded Grade II Listed status, protecting it and recognizing it as a building of special architectural interest, technological innovation and virtuosity.
On 1 February 1978, the Empire Pool was renamed Wembley Arena.

The Wembley Lions and Wembley Monarchs used the venue regularly during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, while the London Lions used the venue for a season in the 1970s.

Wembley Arena also hosted the English National League, British National League, British Hockey League play-off finals weekend at the end of each season up until the league's disbandment in 1996.

Wembley Arena played host to NHL preseason games in 1992, with the Chicago Blackhawks vs Montreal Canadiens and in 1993 with Toronto Maple Leafs vs New York Rangers.