Max HeyraudA 20,000-capacity indoor arena is being planned for Dublin’s docklands, in a major development led by Live Nation in partnership with Oak View Group and Gaiety Investments.
The proposed venue would be built at Merchants Yard near East Wall Road in the Dublin Docklands, on a site acquired for approximately €90 million. Total project costs are estimated at around €500 million.
If approved, the arena would be significantly larger than the existing 3Arena (13,000 capacity), making it the largest indoor music and sports venue in Ireland.
A spokesperson for Live Nation told The Irish Times: “Dublin is a vibrant, culturally rich capital with an unrivalled passion for live entertainment and a long history of welcoming artists and fans from around the globe. The city continues to see growing demand for major live events and remains one of Europe’s most important touring markets.”
They added: “The partners look forward to working closely with local stakeholders, Government officials and the community as plans develop, with the aim of further strengthening Dublin’s position as a leading international destination for live music and culture.”
The announcement comes as several community-led and grassroots venues in Dublin face ongoing pressures, with recent closures including The Complex and Izakaya, amid concerns about funding, policy support, and the long-term sustainability of smaller cultural spaces.
While major new venue investment is often welcomed in principle, the contrast between large-scale developments and the fragility of grassroots infrastructure is likely to raise wider questions about the balance of Dublin’s live ecosystem.
