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Rod Laver Arena is equipped with the Hawk-Eye electronic system which allows tennis players to challenge the umpire's decision on calls made throughout championships. The arena's retractable roof allows competitors to continue play during rain or extreme heat. It is also the second largest indoor arena in Australia behind the 21,032 capacity Sydney Super Dome. The Rod Laver Arena is the largest indoor arena in Australia without a permanent roof (not counting the 56,347 seat Docklands Stadium, also in Melbourne, which is classed as a stadium rather than an arena). The idea for such a roof came about at the suggestion of John Cain, the premier of Victoria around 1980, who came up with the compromise idea after Tennis Australia requested the government to build an open air tennis facility next to a preexisting government project to build a closed roof entertainment center. The arena was the first tennis venue in the world and the first arena of any kind in Australia to have a retractable roof installed. The arena currently attracts over 1.5 million visitors per year.
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Rod Laver Arena has a seating capacity of 14,820, with a capacity of 15,400 for sports such as basketball, when extra seats are added around the court, and up to 14,200 for concerts with floor seating. Interior of arena during the 2016 Australian Open