Plans have been unveiled for a winter sports and entertainment arena in Dublin, which aims to house the State’s first professional ice hockey franchise.
The proposed €190 million development on an eight-acre site in Cherrywood, south Dublin will include two Olympic-sized ice rinks; a 5,000-seat indoor arena and a training centre for elite athletes.
The investment vehicle behind the project, Prime Arena Holdings Limited, said it had reached agreement to purchase the site from US real-estate group Hines, which is already developing 1,300 apartments within the Cherrywood strategic development zone.
The list of high-profile investors backing the project includes: music promoter and MCD founder Denis Desmond; Setanta and Premier Sports founder Mickey O’Rourke; former commercial head of sport at RTÉ Dermot Rigley; and tech investor and Hostelworld co-founder Tom Kennedy.
Founders of public affairs firm Hume Brophy, John Hume and Eoin Brophy, who recently sold their business to international PR firm Penta, and financier Helen Work are also part of the team.
As well as serving as a national hub for winter sports, the venue aims to become the permanent home for Dublin’s first professional ice hockey franchise, which will compete in the UK Elite Ice Hockey League alongside the Belfast Giants.
Ice hockey is one of the fastest-growing spectator sports in the UK. The Belfast Giants regularly draw crowds of close to 7,000 at home games in the city’s SE Arena.
The proposed scheme, adjacent to junction 16 of the M50 motorway, also aims to serve as a concert venue and a space for international exhibitions and corporate events.
“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,” the company said.
Planning documentation for the development, which has the backing of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, is scheduled to be submitted by September this year.
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“This is a defining moment for Ireland – a bold statement of what we can achieve when ambition meets collaboration,” said Prime Arena Holdings chief executive Dermot Rigley.
“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,” he said.
“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,” said Mr Rigley.
Chairman Tom Kennedy said: “This isn’t just an investment in infrastructure – it’s a legacy for generations”.
Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Jim O’Leary welcomed what he described as Ireland’s first dedicated winter sports arena. “This transformational arena will contribute significantly to our corporate goals in realising our sports, tourism and cultural ambitions.”
