Nairobi is set to build a 10,000-seater indoor sports and entertainment arena as part of a $294.49 million Railway City project. The arena will form the centrepiece of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions Core Centre being developed at the Nairobi Railway Station area. A hotel, serviced apartments, retail outlets and other entertainment facilities are planned around it. The development mirrors Rwanda's model of using a multipurpose venue to attract MICE tourism.
The project is being undertaken by Guernsey-headquartered Zaria Group through its local subsidiary, Metroarena Development Company. The arena will be operated by QA Venue Solutions, a Zaria Group management affiliate that already manages the 10,000-seat BK Arena and Amahoro Stadium in Kigali. Management contracts for the Nairobi facility are set on renewable 15-year terms.
The Nairobi project comes as African cities compete for international sporting tournaments, concerts, conferences and exhibitions. Modern venues are increasingly being developed as commercial and tourism assets. The Democratic Republic of Congo is developing a 20,000-seat Kinshasa Arena, estimated at $105 million.
Kenya hopes to benefit from such events and replicate the success of Rwanda's BK Arena, which hosted the inaugural Basketball Africa League season in 2021. The BK Arena, which cost about $104 million, describes itself as the largest fully covered arena in East Africa.
Details of the planned project in Nairobi show the centrepiece will be a five-storey, multi-purpose indoor arena with a seating capacity of up to 10,000 people. The sports arena is designed to accommodate sporting activities such as basketball and conferences, banquets and other events.
The development will be supported by a three-level public podium, with the ground and first floors dedicated to parking. The second floor will provide the main public realm, including a central pedestrian boulevard connecting different parts of the development. Retail outlets, restaurants and food and beverage facilities are also planned.
The project is part of the government's broader plan to transform the railway station area into an urban centre incorporating commercial, residential and transport infrastructure. The project will contribute to increased government revenue through various tax streams and statutory levies associated with both the construction and operational phases.
Key points
- The arena will have an estimated built-up area of 11,680 square metres, comprising 5,575 square metres for seating and arena functions and another 4,045 square metres for back-of-house facilities.
- The hotel component will comprise a 140-key branded facility, while the serviced apartment tower will provide 70 units.
- The project will involve the installation of approximately 45 kilometres of new track in and around the yard of the present central railway station.
