Live Nation to Operate Finland’s Helsinki Halli, Bring ‘Arena Back to Life’

Live Nation has signed a deal to operate Helsinki Halli in Helsinki, Finland, helping put the venue back on the international map.

The entertainment giant took out a 20-year long-term lease on Helsinki Halli on February 27. The venue, which first opened in 1997, is the largest arena in Finland with a capacity of up to 15,900. In 2020, the venue closed and only briefly reopened in 2021.

Live Nation noted that the venue’s closure left “the Finnish touring market without its premier live entertainment space” and “when open, the arena generates more than €100 million ($105 million) for the Helsinki economy annually.”

“There has been a gap in the live music scene in Finland since Helsinki Halli closed, and we’re proud to play a part in bringing the arena back to life,” Live Nation president venues EMEA Tom Lynch said in a statement. “We can’t wait to get artists back on stage, and fans back through the doors again.”

Live Nation’s agreement to operate the venue follows a purchase by a consortium, led by Finnish Investor Heikki Viitikko and Trevian Asset Management Oy. According to a report by the Guardian, the consortium purchased the venue, previously named Hartwall Arena, from its former Russian owners, though it had been closed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Following the invasion, the EU and U.S. sanctioned Russian owners across the globe, and the venue was boycotted by the entertainment industry.

Hellsinki Halli is set to open this spring, though no announcements have been made regarding upcoming acts at this time. Additionally, while nothing has been set in stone at this time, there are reportedly discussions underway to bring sports games to the arean, since it previously hosted home games for a local ice hockey team.

Fans can stay up-to-date on the venue’s event calendar here.