A concept of the interior of Edinburgh Park Arena
Featured image credit: AEG Europe
The AEG Europe division of sports and live entertainment company AEG has unveiled plans to deliver what would be the first major indoor arena in Edinburgh.
The promoter and venue operator is seeking planning approval for an 8,500-capacity arena in the heart of Edinburgh Park. Parabola, developers and site owners of Edinburgh Park, a new cultural quarter for the Scottish capital, has agreed to sell the site for the new venue to AEG.
AEG Europe has stated that with “unrivalled” public transport and motorway access, including two tram stops within an easy walk, two mainline stations, plentiful bus connections and excellent motorway links, the site in west Edinburgh is “extremely well positioned” to become home to an arena.
Alex Hill, president and CEO of AEG Europe, stated: “It’s a location with immense potential, amplified by Parabola’s transformative development and regeneration of Edinburgh Park.
“The much needed 8,500-capacity arena will bring world-class live music and entertainment to Edinburgh, further cementing its reputation as a destination for culture and global tourism. We look forward to this development becoming an integral part of the local community and complementing one of the best cities in the world for the arts and live entertainment.”
Peter Millican, chairman and founder of Parabola, added: “Parabola is delighted to be working with AEG in the delivery of such an iconic venue for the city.
“This investment will complement all that is on offer at Edinburgh Park and ensure that the arts and culture has an outstanding live performance facility. The new Edinburgh Arena will put west Edinburgh on the map as a new cultural destination.”
A planning application for AEG’s Edinburgh Park Arena will be submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council in the coming weeks. It is anticipated that the matter will then be determined within six months, with work expected to begin in early 2025 and the first live events taking to the stage in 2027.
As part of the planning process, public consultation exhibitions will be held at Edinburgh Park. Previous attempts have been made to deliver an arena for the city.
In December 2019, it was announced that NEC Group would lead the development of a proposed 8,000-capacity indoor arena in Edinburgh. The venue, to be built on a 30-acre site close to the city centre, was set to include conference, retail and leisure space, a cinema and two hotels.
The arena project saw NEC Group team up with Lothian Leisure Development (LLD), a UK based entertainment, leisure and sports venue consultancy.
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