Turku arena project lobbied Orpo behind closed doors

Representatives of a planned 500 million euro event arena in Turku have lobbied Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and government officials, Yle reports. The project’s contacts with decision-makers were entered in Finland’s transparency register only in late August 2026.

The arena is planned for Turku railway yard and has been under development for almost a decade. It has not received state funding.

Finland’s Prime Minister’s Office refused to provide information on whether representatives of Turun Ratapihan Kehitys Oy had contacted ministers or ministerial advisers. The office also declined to release messages or meeting details involving the project.

According to the transparency register maintained by the National Audit Office of Finland, Orpo met project representatives in early 2025. The meeting covered the overall project and smart arena solutions. Orpo also spoke with project representatives by telephone in early 2026.

Orpo’s economic policy special adviser Mikko Martikkala and Petri Peltonen, under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, also met representatives of the project. There had been other communication between the parties as well.

The project company submitted the disclosures to the register only at the end of August, after extensive public discussion over lobbying connected to the Garden Helsinki arena project. Yle said it was unable to interview Ilkka Kilpimaa, chair of the project company’s board, or former professional ice hockey player Saku Koivu and Supercell co-founder Mikko Kodisoja, who are behind the project.

Government funding sought

The project has also sought state funding from the Ministry of Education and Culture. The ministry rejected its latest grant application, saying the application was incomplete and the financing plan was still unfinished.

Garden Helsinki also applied for state funding from the ministry, but both projects received negative decisions. The government had decided in spring 2025 to grant Garden Helsinki 35 million euros in conditional funding, but later withdrew from the decision after strong public criticism.

The Turku project has received less public attention than Garden Helsinki. Public descriptions have focused on an event arena, but the plans also include a broader entertainment complex known as Arkki and Arkadia.

Lobbying directed at Parliament and ministries, as well as lobbying consultancy, must be reported to Finland’s transparency register when organisations carry out systematic or long-term influence work. An organisation must register after making more than five contacts aimed at influencing Parliament or a ministry during a calendar year.