Live Nation Signs Deal To Operate Helsinki Halli In Finland

Live Nation today, Feb. 27, announced that it has taken on a 20-year long-term lease to operate Helsinki’s Helsinki Halli in an effort to put the arena back on the international touring map.

Helsinki Halli first opened in 1997 and is the largest arena in Finland, with a capacity of up to 15,900. The arena has been closed since 2020, apart from a brief reopening in 2021, “leaving the Finnish touring market without its premier live entertainment space,” according to a press release from Live Nation, which continues, “when open, the arena generates more than €100 million ($105 million) for the Helsinki economy annually.”

Helsinki Halli is due to open in Spring 2025, with announcements regarding the first acts to grace the stage coming soon. Discussions are also underway regarding the potential sporting uses of the arena, as the venue was previously home to the local ice hockey team.

Tom Lynch, Live Nation president venues EMEA, commented, “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. We can’t wait to get artists back on its stage, and fans back through the doors again.”

Heikki Viitikko, main owner and chairman of Helsinki Halli, added: “We have more than one reason to be delighted today. Firstly, Finland’s premier venue is back to local ownership and soon ready to reopen. Secondly, in co-operation with Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment company, together we can take the first step on the road to reinventing this industry-leading arena.”

Live Nation’s agreement to operate the venue follows its recent purchase by a consortium led by Finnish investor Heikki Viitikko and Trevian Asset Management Oy.

The consortium purchased the venue, formerly known as Hartwall Arena, from its former Russian owners. It has been closed since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, when the EU and U.S. sanctioned Russian owners all over the world, and the venue got boycotted by the entertainment industry, while banks and insurance companies refused to provide essential services, according to a Guardian report.

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