Perth Arena, Indoor sports arena in Perth, Australia
Perth Arena, known commercially as RAC Arena, has a faceted central facade clad in blue triangular panels, with a diamond-shaped sign reading "RAC Arena" in black and orange. A dark glazed band cuts across the blue face above a deep recessed opening, and a projecting canopy of blue metal beams with a glazed roof shelters the entrance. A pale grey faceted wall adjoins it to the right.
Construction began in June 2007 on the site near the former Perth Entertainment Centre, with the tender won by the Western Australian consortium BGC. The arena opened on 10 November 2012 with a concert by Elton John, who had replaced George Michael as the first performer. It was the first stage of Perth City Link, a 13.5-hectare renewal project that sank the Eastern Railway to link the CBD with Northbridge. Costs rose from an original $150 million estimate to $550 million.
The arena's name changed to RAC Arena in 2018 under a five-year naming rights deal with the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia, renewed in 2025 to 2030. Its tenants are the Perth Wildcats basketball team and West Coast Fever netball team; the Hopman Cup tennis tournament was held here until 2019. Elton John opened the venue on 10 November 2012, replacing George Michael as the first performer.
The venue features underground parking with spaces for around 680 vehicles and sits directly next to Wellington Street train station for easy transit access. Multiple bus routes serve the area, making it straightforward to reach without a car.
The faceted blue shell is based on the Eternity puzzle, a 209-piece mathematical puzzle; the architects at Ashton Raggatt McDougall translated its geometry into the building's angular form. The diamond-shaped RAC Arena sign sits on the upper blue face, above a dark glazing band and a deep recessed opening.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,622 contributors worldwide.