Impressive plans for a new €190m sporting venue which could transform Ireland’s sporting landscape have been revealed today. Backers for the Arena say it will deliver social, economic, and cultural benefits for Ireland.
Planning is scheduled to be submitted for a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose arena which will become the home of Dublin’s first professional ice hockey franchise; as well as serve as a national hub for winter sports, major concerts, international exhibitions, corporate events and more.
The Arena is to be developed by Prime Arena Holdings Limited and will be located as part of the Cherrywood mixed use development located on the Luas line and at the intersection of the N11, M11 and M50 motorways.
€230 Million Annual Impact
The venue is projected to generate socio-economic impact of over €230m annually. The campus is one of 8.14 cares with the arena itself as the centrepiece but with space as well for hotel development and other ancillary services that will be drawn to the area.
The anchor of the facility will be as a home and a permanent base for Olympic-standard winter sports, supported by the Olympic Federation of Ireland. Dublin is currently the only capital city in Northern Europe without a permanent ice sport centre.
The facility will include:
● Two full-sized Olympic ice rinks;
● A 5,000-seat (8,000 standing) indoor arena;
● A high-performance training centre for elite athletes; and
● A permanent home for Dublin’s first professional ice hockey franchise, with the exclusive franchise to compete in the UK Elite Ice Hockey League and European competitions – alongside the highly successful Belfast Giants franchise.
Connections
Connections have been forged with the National Hockey League . With the NFL coming to town in the autumn, the potential for another major touring event based on the likes of the New York Rangers, the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Blue Jays is a mouth watering prospect for the future as well.
With projected capacity to host between 50-70 events annually in partnership with global promoters, it will provide Ireland with a mid-tier venue tailored to international-scale performances, tours, and exhibitions. In this it will be a mirror of the success of the Odyssey and the SSE Arena in Belfast.
As a conference and gala venue, it will accommodate up to 1,500 seated guests, adding 200,000 hotel bed nights per year, and addressing a long-standing capacity gap from the business events industry, valued at US$2.8 Tn globally.
A National Asset
400 direct jobs are anticipated during construction and over 1,600 jobs supported annually, with 80 full-time positions related to ice-based activities.
There will be year-round public skating, school and youth group programmes, and adaptive winter sports opportunities, with over 1 million projected annual visits.
It will have cutting-edge design with carbon reduction goals and potential for shared district heating.
“This is a defining moment for Ireland – a bold statement of what we can achieve when ambition meets collaboration,” said Dermot Rigley, CEO of Prime Arena Holdings.
“Since 2021, we’ve been working quietly but relentlessly with an incredible team to bring this vision to life – and today, we’re proud to finally share it with the Irish public. With the support of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Hines, we’re building more than an arena – we’re creating a national landmark that will open up winter sports to every corner of Irish society, empower our athletes, and give Ireland the platform it deserves to host world-class events.”
“This isn’t just an investment in infrastructure – it’s a legacy for generations,” added Chair of the Group Tom Kennedy.
“We are deeply grateful to our incredible investor group and project team, whose belief and commitment have made this moment possible.”
Michael O’Rourke of Premier Sports, John Hume and Eoin Brophy, as well as Helen Work, are also part of the investment group behind the venture.
“I am delighted to welcome this announcement for Ireland’s first dedicated winter sports and entertainment arena earmarked for development in our new town of Cherrywood,” said Jim O’Leary, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
“This transformational arena will contribute significantly to our corporate goals in realising our sports, tourism and cultural ambitions and in supporting further economic growth and opportunities in our County for all who live, work and visit Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and the wider region.”
