[1] The NYSE listed Ogden Corporation was awarded a 20-year contract in February 1995 to design the arena, and once completed, to manage the facility including booking and promotion.

The arena cost £10.6m to build (partly financed by a £2.5 million grant from Tyne & Wear Development Corporation), and opened as the Newcastle Arena on Saturday 18 November 1995 with a basketball league game between the resident team the Newcastle Comets, hosting the Doncaster Panthers.

[8] In 2008 plans drawn up by consultants working for Newcastle City Council and the land-owning stake-holders, SMG, Bellway Homes, Network Rail and Isle Casinos, were to be presented to the council, outlining three redevelopment options for the arena site: a casino and regional conference centre, a hotel, or mixed use office and housing, with the arena building potentially being demolished or upgraded as part of the proposal.

[9] According to ASM Global, the open span arena is the largest concert and exhibition venue in the north east.

[12] Situated on the South-Western edge of Newcastle city centre, the arena is loosely bounded to the south by the River Tyne, to the west by a business park, to the east by the elevated Redheugh Bridge which runs across the river, and to the north by the major thoroughfares of the Scotswood Road and West Road, connecting the city centre to its western districts.

[17] After a year without ice hockey, a new franchise named the Newcastle Vipers was formed for the start of the 2002/03 season, and used the arena as their home rink.

[16] While the club were hopeful of a return to the arena, a permanent home in Gateshead was also mooted, with redevelopment proposals tabled during early 2010.

[18] A hoped for return to the arena for the 2010/11 season did not occur, as it could not guarantee sufficient dates due to problems with the ageing ice making equipment, seeing the club commit to staying at Whitley Bay.

The first major boxing event featured Nigel Benn being defeated in a WBC Super Middleweight title defence.

In 2009 Amir Khan defended his WBA Light Welterweight title in a Sky Box Office Pay Per View event.

The arena has hosted many top acts of the music industry, including solo artists such as Janet Jackson, Shania Twain, Bryan Adams, Rihanna, Leona Lewis, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton, Elton John, Tom Jones, Pavarotti, Linkin Park, Katy Perry, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Gabrielle, Whitney Houston, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Diana Ross, Cher, Mark Knopfler and bands/groups such as McFly, The Backstreet Boys, Oasis, Snow Patrol, KISS, Metallica, Journey, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Westlife, Take That, Spice Girls, Michael Bublé, JLS, The Saturdays, Girls Aloud, Wet Wet Wet, The Wanted, Little Mix, One Direction, All Saints, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, and Dua Lipa.

[6][8][10] The first concert at the arena is commonly assumed to have been by David Bowie shortly after opening, on 7 December 1995, although the actual first performers at the venue were local duo The Proud Ones, who filled in for Morrissey after he cancelled his appearance.

The Arena has hosted a number of all-night dance events under the name of Godskitchen, many world-class DJ's such as Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Mauro Picotto, Judge Jules and Ferry Corsten have played in the venue to sellout crowds.

[11] On Monday 18 June 2012, it played host to the Newcastle audition stages of the ninth series of the ITV singer search programme The X Factor.

In addition to road access provided by the nearby major thoroughfares, the arena is 10 minutes’ walk from Newcastle railway station to the east, for National Rail and Tyne & Wear Metro services.