- May 23, 2025
- Posted by: SportsV
- Categories: Featured Articles, Features, Home News, Industry News, News, Press Releases

The Olympic Federation of Ireland has officially endorsed Prime Arena, a major milestone for Irish sport and a defining moment for Prime Arena Holdings’ vision.
Co-Founder & CEO of Prime Arena Holdings, Dermot Rigley, said:
From the beginning, this project has been about more than just infrastructure. It’s about creating a world-class foundation where Irish athletes can train, compete and dream on home ground. Prime Arena will be a centre for excellence, a home for Ireland’s first professional ice hockey team and a platform for international events that will position Ireland on the global sporting map.
With this endorsement, we are one step closer to realising a bold vision – elevating Irish sport to new heights and opening doors for future generations.
This is only the start.
Prime Arena Holdings Ltd announced that it had reached agreement for the acquisition of an 8.14 acre site in Cherrywood, South Dublin for the development of Ireland’s first dedicated winter sports and entertainment arena – a major new venue that will transform Ireland’s sporting and cultural landscape – back in April 2025.
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 and corporate events.

A Home for Winter Sports and Dublin’s first Professional Ice Hockey Franchise
For the first time, Ireland will have 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.
The 2025 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition is being held at Villa Park in Birmingham, UK, on October 6-7th, with an Opening Night Icebreaker on October 5th. The next SVB LIVE Networking Event taking place at Fulham Pier in London on June 4th, including a tour of Fulham FC’s new Riverside Stand.
Culture, Concerts and Conferences
The Arena is designed for far more than sport. 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.
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 USD 2.8 trillion globally.
A National Asset
The Arena will deliver social, economic and cultural benefits for Dublin and Ireland:
- Local Jobs & Economic Growth: Nearly 400 direct jobs during construction and over 1,600 jobs supported annually, with 80 full-time positions related to ice-based activities.
- Community Access: Year-round public skating, school and youth group programmes, and adaptive winter sports opportunities, with over 1 million projected annual visits.
- Tourism Magnet for North American and European touring sports: The Arena will open Ireland up for hosting major indoor sporting events, including NHL, NBA and ATP / WTA Tennis
- Sustainability: Cutting-edge design with carbon reduction goals and potential for shared district heating
Tom Kennedy, Chairman of Prime Arena Holdings, said:
“This isn’t just an investment in infrastructure – it’s a legacy for generations. We are deeply grateful to our incredible investor group and project team, whose belief and commitment have made this moment possible.”
The development is made possible through collaboration with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Prime Arena Holdings, which has worked extensively with national sporting bodies, tourism agencies, industry partners and event promoters, including Fáilte Ireland, the Olympic Federation of Ireland, and the Elite Ice Hockey League.
The project is supported by a powerhouse investor group — Denis Desmond, Mickey O’Rourke, Tom Kennedy, John Hume, Eoin Brophy, Helen Work, and Dermot Rigley — and delivered by an outstanding project team including DMOD Architects, Linesight, Simon Clear & Associates, Philip Lee LLP, DBFL Consulting Engineers, IN2 Engineering, HWBC, Deloitte, Tony Foley, 2into3, 53Six, Onside and Penta.
For more details, please visit: https://www.primearenaholdings.com/
SVB LIVE events focus on elevating the live experience through architecture & design, commercialisation, customer journey, fan & premium/VIP experience, hospitality, interiors & fit-out, sustainability and technology.
Check out the latest sports and entertainment venue development data from across the globe in the exclusive, subscription-only, SVB Global Report here.
#SportsVenueBusiness – The leading platform for sector news, views & developments
#SVBLIVE – Elevating the Live Experience