THE OLYMPIC FEDERATION of Ireland (OFI) has declared its full support for the construction of the country’s first winter sports arena in Dublin.

Projected to cost €190 million to build, plans were unveiled last month by Prime Arena Holdings, the company behind the idea, which is expected to submit official planning documents in September.

Named the Dublin Arena, it will be located at an eight-acre site in Cherrywood, south Dublin.

OFI chief Peter Sherrard says the arena will raise the ambition of Irish winter athletes.

“This project represents a step-change for winter sports in Ireland,” he said.

“Ireland has immense untapped potential in winter disciplines, and this development offers the facilities, vision and scale to turn that potential into performance.”

Prime Arena Holdings promises the arena will bring “significant social, economic, and cultural benefits” to the surrounding area, including the generation of €230 million in net new economic activity each year.

It will feature two Olympic-sized ice rinks, a 5,000-seat and 8,000-standing capacity for events, along with a high-performance training centre for elite athletes.

Federation President Lochlann Walsh says the arena has been a long time coming.

“Dublin is the only EU capital without a permanent ice facility, a gap that has held back both grassroots participation and elite progress in winter sports.

“There’s clear, unmet demand across Ireland”, he said, adding: “It’s about opening pathways, expanding access, and creating a lasting legacy that reflects the full ambition of Irish sport, introducing the public to disciplines like figure skating, speed skating, curling, and sliding sports such as luge and bobsleigh.”

CEO of Prime Arena Holdings, Dermot Rigley, shared the scope of his company’s vision for Irish winter sports when announcing the arena last month, describing it as ”a national landmark that will open up winter sports to every corner of Irish society”.

It is not only sports that will be accommodated under the plans. The arena is projected to host up to 70 events on an annual basis, including concerts, international exhibitions, and corporate events.