Hartwall Arena renamed Veikkaus Arena under new ownership

By admin On Jul 2, 2025

Preparations began in front of the arena to hang a banner before the official name sign is completed. Photo: Mikko Stig / Lehtikuva

The former Hartwall Arena in Helsinki will now operate under the name Veikkaus Arena, following a ten-year sponsorship agreement with Finnish gambling company Veikkaus.

The name change was confirmed on Wednesday by the arena’s new owners and operators. Veikkaus Arena will open to the public in September 2025 after a lengthy closure and renovations. The venue, located in Pasila, is owned by Finnish investment group Trevian Kasvu LP Ky, which acquired the arena earlier this year from Russian interests.

Event management firm Live Nation holds a 20-year operational contract for the venue. The company signed the naming agreement directly with Veikkaus.

Veikkaus, which provides gambling services in Finland, plans to integrate its brand into both the interior and exterior of the arena. It has not disclosed specific marketing plans but confirmed that further partnership concepts are under development.

“We want to be part of everyday life through entertainment, culture and sports,” said Reija Laaksonen, Veikkaus’ director of communications and personnel. “We believe this partnership enables that.”

The arena has a capacity of 15,500 and will focus primarily on live events and concerts. Discussions are ongoing about its possible return to sports use.

Live Nation is also seeking additional commercial partners, with talks underway across sectors including confectionery, coffee, banking, and automotive services. “Several negotiations are ongoing,” said Sivi Purmonen, the company’s commercial director in Finland.

Originally known as Hartwall Arena, the venue was opened in 1997. It served as the home arena for ice hockey club Jokerit and hosted major international events including the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 and various IIHF World Championships.

In 2013, Russian investors including Gennady Timchenko and the Rotenberg family purchased the venue. Jokerit simultaneously moved to compete in Russia’s KHL league.

The arena was forced to close in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remained shuttered following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Its Russian owners were placed on the EU sanctions list, and the arena’s original name was dropped.

The name Hartwall was removed from the venue, which was temporarily referred to as Helsinki Hall. Despite the name change, Hartwall continues to supply food and beverage services at the arena.

The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs granted a special permit for the arena’s sale earlier this year. The acquisition marked the end of a protracted process to return the venue to Finnish ownership.

Veikkaus Arena’s reopening was initially planned for early summer, but internal renovations and staff training delayed the launch. A large black banner covering the facade was replaced on Wednesday with temporary signage displaying the new name. A permanent logo installation is expected later.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi