This morning we can reveal more detail about the new sporting venue being brought to life in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown which will transform Ireland’s sporting and cultural landscape.

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, making it among the most accessible locations in the Dublin area.

Planning documentation for the €190m development is scheduled to be submitted by September 2025 for this 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.

Since we broke the news of the entity behind the development last week we have spoken to a number of major sporting bodies already interested in exploring the potential of the facility.

€230 Million Annual Impact

The venue is projected to generate socio-economic impact of over €230 million annually, becoming a landmark destination for fans, families, and businesses alike. 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.

If you are familiar with Cherrywood it will be on the right hand side as you come off the M50 motorway at Junction 16. The area is already home to thousands of apartments, business including Laya Healthcare and Aviva, schools and more.

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 at the highest levels of the sport including all the way to the NHL. 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 Maple Leafs is a mouth watering prospect for the future as well.

Denis Desmond of MCD is one of the backers of the venture and it is designed for far more than sport 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

The Arena will deliver social, economic, and cultural benefits for Dublin and Ireland:

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.”

 

SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

This is perhaps the most exciting development we have seen in the lifetime of Sport for Business. We have been long time admirers of the energy and excitement that Ice Hockey has brought to Belfast, appealing to fans of all sport.  Dublin and Ireland has the capacity to be an internationally renowned host of sporting events.  The Open, the Ryder Cup, the NFL, the Cricket World Cup, the Euro’s and a host of other European and World Class events are already coming and this is a fabulous addition to what we can aspire to and achieve.

The people behind the venture are serious and sound.  The collaborations they have built, with many more to be announced in the coming months is exceptional. 

This is a great day to be involved in sport and business in Ireland.

WHAT’S UP NEXT?

We will keep you informed as this project comes to life ahead of a potential opening of the doors in 2028, just around the corner.

MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS

We look forward to hosting Sport for Business events here for our 300+ member organisations of the Sport for Business Community. Our community includes all of the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies. 

We will be discussing the new Arena and its impact at our Annual Sports Tourism Conference in Limerick next Tuesday, April 29th.

Find out more about becoming a member today.

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