Company behind Edinburgh Park Arena plans 'remains committed' to delivering project despite work stalling
Despite hopes of opening in 2028, failure to hire a main contractor and supply chain issues has seen the Edinburgh Park Arena project delayed
The company behind plans for an £80 million indoor arena in Edinburgh has insisted it remains committed to the project, despite facing ongoing construction delays.
AEG Europe previously announced plans to build a 8,500-person capacity “state-of-the-art” venue in the west of the city.
The Edinburgh Park Arena is set to be the city’s first ever large indoor concert arena hosting a mix of music, comedy, sporting events and festival shows, with the aim of hosting around 150 shows per year.
Planning permission for the highly-anticipated Edinburgh Park Arena was granted by City of Edinburgh Council in June 2024 to construct the new venue.
The new venue is due to be build on the land directly to the west of the Premier Inn hotel at Edinburgh Park near to the train and tram stations.
AEG Europe said in its plans that the £80m arena would contribute £520 million per year to the city’s economy by hosting huge events, as well as creating more than 1,000 local jobs.
However, work has yet to start on the new project despite initial hopes that Edinburgh Park Arena would be ready to open in 2028.
Reports suggest that AEG Europe has been unable to secure a main contractor for the project, which has delayed the initial plans to open in less than two years time.
Likewise, rising supply chain costs has also seen work on the arena delayed.
AEG Europe, which owns venues such as The O2 in London and Berlin’s Uber Arena, previously announced that it had hoped to be up and running for 2027 but issued an update in which it pushed this timeline back by one year.
Due to a mix of the contractor and supply chain issues this has been pushed back once again, although a revised timeline has not been provided.
Despite this, AEG Europe has said that it “remain committed to delivering Edinburgh Park Arena” despite the speed bumps.
Alistair Wood, executive vice president of real estate and development at AEG International, said:"We remain committed to delivering the Edinburgh Park Arena and continue to make progress behind the scenes as we work through the next phase of the project.
“As with any major development of this scale, timelines are kept under regular review as design, procurement and commercial discussions continue.
“We are particularly focused on securing a main contractor and supply chain, which remain a challenge in Scotland at the current time.
- Capacity: 8,500 people.
- Event Volume: Around 150 shows per year, including music, comedy, and sports.
- Economic Impact: An estimated £520 million annual boost to the city’s economy.
- Employment: The creation of more than 1,000 local jobs.
Local businesses previously told the Evening News in late 2025 that the new venue was a welcome boost in the area, but warned that plans were needed to tackle any parking or traffic issues.
Steve Hillham, PR manager of Trinity Domestics at Cutlins Road, said: “People already park here for the rugby at Murrayfield and jump on a tram. So that could also be a larger issue when the arena opens.
“There are always going to be teething issues with any new large development, so I hope the people behind the arena look at the long-term plan so businesses like us are not affected adversely.
“But on a personal note I’m buzzing about it. It’s been a long-time coming having a proper indoor arena in Edinburgh and I can’t wait to see it open.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.