HELSINKI, June 25. /TASS/. There is a 99% certainty that the Finnish government will confiscate the largest indoor sports and concert venue in the Finnish capital, Helsinki Hall, from its Russian owners, the country's largest newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, reported citing sources
As Finnish media reported earlier, the arena was put up for sale by an exclusive decision of the EU, since the owners are under sanctions. The transaction must be completed before June 30.
On Monday, the Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that her ministry has not yet received an application for the sale.
The sellers of the arena through the company Arena Events are Russian owners Gennady Timchenko and the Rotenberg family, the newspaper clarifies.
At the final stage, the owners had three offers from Finnish buyers, but none of them was approved, the report said.
After confiscation by the state, the hall will be sold to investors, since the authorities do not want to keep it on their balance sheet, the newspaper says.
However, due to the peculiarities of legislation and litigation, the arena won’t open immediately but several months or even a year later, a source told the publication.
The Helsinki Hall Arena opened in April 1997. It can be transformed to host various events.
Its total capacity during hockey games is 13,349 people, and during concerts - 15,000. Finnish media previously reported that the Russian owners purchased the complex from Finnish businessman Harri Harkimo in 2013.