The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) has formally endorsed the proposed development of Ireland’s first Olympic standard winter sports and entertainment facility at Cherrywood, South Dublin.
The €190 million project, led by Prime Arena Holdings, was first reported last month on Sport for Business and represents a major advance in delivering on the goals of the OFI’s Winter Sports Strategy 2022–2026 with the potential to unlock new opportunities for athletes and communities across the country.
Following the 2022 launch of the Irish Winter Sports Strategy 2022–2026, a permanent ice facility was identified as a key objective.
Featuring two Olympic-sized rinks and a flexible multi-purpose arena, the Cherrywood facility will support public access as well as elite training.
There is no permanent ice facility in the Republic of Ireland. There are 62 permanent rinks in the UK alone. In Belfast, the Dundonald International Ice Bowl and the SSE Arena show that it can be very successful, with the former hosting in the region of 600,000 visitors per annum.
As the project proceeds, engagement with the Winter Sports Federations will be a key element in delivering a facility that supports the athletes, the growth potential and needs of the sports, as well as being a major driver for hospitality, entertainment and tourism.
Endorsing the proposed development of Prime Arena Holdings, CEO of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Peter Sherrard, highlighted the wider benefits of this facility from a sporting perspective.
“This project represents a step-change for winter sports in Ireland,” he said.
“It aligns directly with our strategic goals to increase participation, enhance elite performance, and address the long-standing lack of national infrastructure in this area. Ireland has immense untapped potential in winter disciplines, and this development offers the facilities, vision and scale to turn that potential into performance.”
President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Lochlann Walsh, added,
“Dublin is the only EU capital without a permanent ice facility, a gap that has held back both grassroots participation and elite progress in winter sports,” added Lochlann Walsh, President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.
“There’s clear, unmet demand across Ireland, evident from the 300,000+ visits to seasonal pop-up rinks over just ten winter weeks.”
“This new arena changes that. It’s about opening pathways, expanding access, and creating a lasting legacy that reflects the full ambition of Irish sport, introducing the public to disciplines like figure skating, speed skating, curling, and sliding sports such as luge and bobsleigh.”
The planned facility will feature two Olympic-sized ice rinks, event space for concerts and exhibitions, and is expected to attract over 1 million visitors annually.
It is projected to generate €230 million in annual economic activity, contribute over 200,000 hotel bed nights to the region, and create significant employment during both construction and operation phases.
Further Reading for Sport for Business members:
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SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
This is an exciting project bringing together proven strategies and enhancing Dublin’s place on the world sporting stage.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Full planning permission is to be sought for the project later this year with discussions continuing around anchor tenants and investment.
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