Gelora Bung Karno Sports Palace (, abbreviated as Istora), (formerly named Istora Senayan between 1969 and 2001) is an indoor arena located in Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia. The capacity of the arena after 2018 reopening is 7,166. This arena is usually used for badminton tournaments, especially the BWF tournaments Indonesia Open since 1982 and Indonesia Masters since 2018, as well as the Indonesia men's national basketball team. The first event that held in this arena was the 1961 Thomas Cup.
It was also used during the 1962 Asian Games and was renovated to host the 2018 edition. with its first post-renovation event was the 2018 Indonesia Masters. During the latter Games, it hosted the badminton and later stages of basketball events.
The arena originally was planned to stage the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and becoming the only Indonesian venue in the three-country joint bid but was moved to a newly built arena inside the complex. It hosted the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup instead.
History As an architect and civil engineering graduate, Sukarno proposed a sports center location near M. H. Thamrin Boulevard and Menteng (Karet, Pejompongan, or Dukuh Atas) for the 1962 Asian Games. Then he was accompanied by Friedrich Silaban to review the location of the proposed sports complex by helicopter. Silaban disagreed with the selection of Dukuh Atas because he argued the construction of a sports complex in the center the future downtown area will potentially create a massive traffic congestion. Sukarno agreed Silaban recommendation and instead assigned the project to the Senayan area with an area of approximately 300 hectares.
The sports complex construction began on 8 February 1960, Istora construction finished on 21 May 1961, in time to host the 1961 Thomas Cup that held in June of that year.
During the New Order era, due to the de-Sukarnoization policy by military junta government under Suharto, the complex was renamed to Gelora Senayan Sports Complex and the Istora was also renamed to Istora Senayan in 1969. However, the name of the sports complex (and the Istora) was reverted by Indonesian president at the time Abdurrahman Wahid since 17 January 2001. although the Istora Senayan name is still used informally.
Istora had a U-shaped indoor lobby attached on its front since some time after the 1960s to 2016. The court and tribune were surrounded by multi-functional rooms. Those were demolished during the subsequent renovation. The rooms are incorporated underneath the tribune, leaving no other buildings attached to it.
The 2016 - 18 renovation of Istora for the 2018 Asian Games cost Rp132 billion (around US$10 million with the exchange rate at the time), reducing the capacity from 9,500 to around 7,000 spectators. During the latest renovation, there were already some delft blue single seats installed on the mid-section of west and east tribune along with yellow (4 corners) and green (mid-section of north and south tribune) wooden bleachers. Those were scrapped and replaced by single seats, consist of 3 shades of grey. However, to preserve the memory of the old Istora, there are five rows of seat using new all-brown wooden bleachers, placed near Gate 1.
Entertainment events 1961–1999 DateArtist(s)Tour10 March 1984Uriah HeepHead First16–18 February 1988Tina TurnerBreak Every Rule World Tour11–13 February 1992New Kids on the BlockThe Magic Summer Tour17–20 September 1992David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield: Magic for the 90's Tour17 October 1995Take ThatNobody Else Tour
2000–2009 DateArtist(s)Tour4 April 2005Avril LavigneBonez Tour23 February 2007MuseBlack Holes and Revelations Tour20 October 2007Black Eyed PeasBlack Blue & You Tour2 June 2009The Pussycat DollsDoll Domination Tour17 August 2009The All-American RejectsI Wanna Rock Tour
2010–2019 DateArtist(s)Tour3 August 2010Slash2010 World Tour29 October 2010Simply Red—10 January 2011N.E.R.D—22 January 2011Ne-YoLibra Scale Tour5 April 2011Bruno MarsThe Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour27 April 2011Maroon 5Hands All Over Tour17 January 2012Simple PlanGet Your Heart On! Tour20 September 2012The WantedLive in Jakarta4 & 5 October 2022Maroon 5Overexposed Tour24 March 2013Demi LovatoA Special Night with Demi Lovato10 May 2013Sigur RósWorld Tour 201312 March 2014Avril LavigneThe Avril Lavigne Tour7 December 2014JKT48Papan Penanda Isi Hati – Message on a Placard Handshake Festival28 March 20152PMGo Crazy World Tour22 May 2015BoyzoneBZ20 Tour4 June 2015PentatonixOn My Way Home Tour Day 219 March 2016JKT48Beginner Handshake Festival1 March 2019KodalinePolitics of Living Tour16 November 2019SeventeenOde to You World Tour
2020–present DateArtist(s)TourRef. 1 March 2020NCT DreamThe Dream Show6 August 2022JKT48Heaven: 10th Anniversary Concert30 September - 1 October 2022The ScriptGreatest Hits Tour 202210 December 2022Treasure, Jun. K, Young Tak, Zion.TSaranghaeyo Indonesia 202216 January 2024YoasobiYoasobi Asia Tour 2023–20245 October 2024WayV2024 Wayv Concert14–15 December 2024Several artistsTrans Media 23rd Anniversary: Semangat Baru2 February 2025Yura YunitaKonser Bingah13 February 2025Wave to Earth0.03 World Tour26–27 February 2025YoasobiChō-genjitsu Asia Tour12 April 2025BoyNextDoorKnock On Vol.1 Tour5 November 2025Nancy AjramNancy Ajram Live in Jakarta9 November 2025Maher Zain, Harris JIndonesia Tour 202518 July 2026The NeighbourhoodWourld Tour21 August 2026IKoniKON “FOUREVER” WORLD TOUR 202621-22 November 2026Doh Kyung-sooDOH KYUNG SOO CONCERT TOUR [DAY OFF]
Cancelled entertainment events DateArtist(s)TourCauseNotesRef.14 November 2008RihannaGood Girl Gone Bad TourEnforcement of travel warning to Indonesia due to execution of 2002 Bali bombings convictRihanna became the first artist to cancel the concert at Istora since its opening in 1961.12 February 2009Chris Brown's assault on Rihanna1 April 2016UB40Live in JakartaUnforeseen circumstances23 August 2019SF92019 SF9 LIVE FANTASY #2 UNIXERSEOrganizer readiness issues28 March 2020KhalidFree Spirit World TourCOVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia9 May 2020Rex Orange CountyThe Pony TourThe Pony Tour was originally planned to be held at the Tennis Indoor, but later relocated to Istora due to high demand. Rex Orange County then successfully held the concert in Jakarta on 14 and 15 October 2023 at Beach City International Stadium.30 and 31 May 2020One Ok RockEye of The Storm TourThe concert was originally planned to be held only on 30 May, but the second show on 31 May was added due to high demand. One Ok Rock then successfully held the concert in Jakarta on 29 and 30 September 2023 at Beach City International Stadium, and at Indonesia Arena within the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex on 16 May 2026 as part of their Detox World Tour.27 June 2020LauvHow I'm Feeling TourLauv have previously canceled his 2019 Asia Tour at Tennis Indoor Senayan that was scheduled to be held on 24 May 2019 due to safety issues resulting from May 2019 riot. The concert was originally postponed to 14 September 2021, but later cancelled due to pandemic uncertainty. As a result, he became the first artist to cancel the concert at two different venues within the complex. Lauv then successfully held the concert in Jakarta on 3 September 2023 at Allianz Eco Park.15 August 2020Stray KidsDistrict 9: Unlock World TourStray Kids then successfully held the concert in Jakarta on 12 and 13 November 2022 at Beach City International Stadium, and they returned to Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex to held their Dominate World Tour on 21 December 2024 at Indonesia Arena.17 January 2023NightwishHuman. :II: Nature. World TourConcert tours restructuring22 November 2023Morrissey40 Years of MorrisseyTechnical issues23 February 2025KeshiRequiem World TourUnforeseen circumstancesCancellation of Khalid, Rex Orange County, Lauv, Morrissey and Keshi concert and relocation of Baekhyun concert caused no international male musicians that have successfully held the concert at Istora since Bruno Mars in April 2011. The curse was eventually broken when Maher Zain and Harris J successfully held the concert at Istora in November 2025.19 September 2026T.O.PT.O.P Pre-Studio 2026Safety issues resulting from 2026 Anak Krakatoa eruption
Notable international sporting events Badminton: Indonesia Open (since 1982) Indonesia Masters (Since 2018) Thomas Cup (1961, 1967, 1973 and 1979) Uber Cup (1975) Thomas & Uber Cup (1986, 1994, 2004 and 2008) Sudirman Cup (1989) 2015 BWF World Championships 1980 and 1989 IBF World Championships 1992 IBF World Junior Championships Multi Events:
1962 and 2018 Asian Games 2018 Asian Para Games
Wushu:
2015 World Wushu Championships
Basketball:
2022 FIBA Asia Cup
Gallery
See also Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Gelora Bung Karno Madya Stadium Indonesia Arena
Other concert venues in Greater Jakarta Beach City International Stadium Indonesia Convention Exhibition Jakarta International Expo Jakarta Convention Center Jakarta International Stadium Sentul International Convention Center
References
External links
Profile on GBK Sports Complex official website