- July 6, 2026
- Posted by: SVB
- Categories: Featured Articles, Features, Industry News, News, Press Releases
Prime Arena Holdings has reached another major milestone for its Dublin Arena project after securing formal endorsements from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Dublin Chamber and Tourism Ireland.
The trio are among the leading representative bodies across business, tourism and regional economic development in Ireland.
Taken together, these endorsements represent a strong and unified signal of support for Prime Arena’s role in advancing national economic growth, tourism development and regional growth objectives, as the project continues to engage with Government on its Grant Application and builds momentum towards submitting its planning application this summer.
Located in Cherrywood, Prime Arena is set to become Ireland’s first truly multipurpose arena, with the capacity to host major international events, concerts, and year-round winter sports activity.
The development is projected to attract over 1.3 million visitors annually, positioning it as a major driver of economic activity and a landmark destination for both domestic and international audiences.
Announced in April last year, the venue 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 2026 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition – focused on elevating the live experience across the sports and entertainment ecosystem – is being hosted at Everton FC’s spectacular new Hill Dickinson Stadium on October 1st and 2nd, with an Opening Night Icebreaker at Liverpool FC’s iconic Anfield Stadium on September 30th.
John O’Toole, Head of Economic Development at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, highlighted the strategic importance of the project at a local and regional level:
“The potential to have Ireland’s first dedicated winter sports and entertainment arena earmarked for development in Cherrywood is transformational. Once constructed, it will contribute significantly to our ambitions across sport, tourism and culture, supporting further economic growth and opportunity throughout Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and the wider region.
“A venue of this scale will deliver significant direct and indirect economic benefits, from job creation and visitor spending to strengthened destination branding and the activation of Cherrywood as a vibrant new town centre.”
Mary Rose Burke, Dublin Chamber CEO, highlighted the project’s national significance and long-term economic contribution:
“Prime Arena would deliver a significant and lasting boost to Dublin’s economy, supporting businesses across hospitality, tourism, retail and local services while further strengthening the city’s international reputation as a dynamic, globally competitive destination for world-class sport, entertainment and major events.
“The project has the potential to become one of the most transformative entertainment and tourism developments delivered in the State in recent years.”
Support from Tourism Ireland reflects the project’s ability to enhance Ireland’s global tourism offering and its capacity to compete for major international events, with Tourism Ireland CEO, Alice Mansergh, saying:
“The Prime Arena development would offer opportunities to attract visitors from overseas. The development would have the capacity to host sizeable sporting events, concerts, conferences and exhibitions, all of which have the potential to attract visitors and generate economic benefits throughout the year.”
Prime Arena continues to build a broad coalition of support across business, tourism and sporting stakeholders, with these latest endorsements reflecting a shared recognition of the project’s ability to deliver long-term, sustainable economic and social value.
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