In a letter of support sent to the Ministry of Culture, Tallinn argued the venue should be built in the capital, claiming it is the only city in Estonia capable of servicing a large-scale arena.

"If we want to compete for international events, we must also take regional realities into account. In neighboring countries, this role is fulfilled by capital cities — Riga and Helsinki — where similar arenas operate successfully. Tallinn is the only city in Estonia that can compete at that level," the city said in the letter.

The Ülemiste freight yard area is again being cited as a possible location for the venue.

Tartu also wants the arena, a priority included in the coalition agreement between Isamaa and the Reform Party.

Tartu Mayor Urmas Klaas said the city continues to strongly support building the arena there. According to Klaas, a plot of land has already been reserved for this purpose in the Raadi district, in the immediate vicinity of the Estonian National Museum.

Klaas said it is important to build the arena in Tartu from a regional policy perspective.

"Not everything has to be concentrated in Tallinn," the mayor said.

In February, the city of Pärnu also sent a letter to the Ministry of Culture expressing its wish to build the arena.

According to the city council, locating the multi-purpose venue in Pärnu would support regional development. The council noted that once Rail Baltica is completed, Pärnu will be a hub between Tallinn and Riga, serving as a gateway to Europe.

Raido Mitt, deputy secretary general for sports at the Ministry of Culture, responded to Pärnu at the time that responsibility for the arena's design, development process, and location selection lies with the Estonian Olympic Committee.

Mitt told ERR that while the committee will indeed provide input on the arena's technical specifications and likely its location, the final decision will most likely be made by the government of Estonia.

He added that the project was originally intended to be funded through remote gambling tax revenues, but it is currently unclear whether and how this has changed following legislative amendments.

There is still no clear plan for financing the arena.

"The Estonian Olympic Committee has proposed various options, and one possibility is that the arena will be built through cooperation between the private sector, local authorities, and the state," Mitt said.

According to Mirjam Endla, head of communications and marketing at the Estonian Olympic Committee, the committee will not make the final decision on the location.

"The Estonian Olympic Committee is leading the preparatory process for the multifunctional arena, with the aim of providing the state with the necessary input on the need for the arena, its possible size, functions, and business model," Endla explained.

Endla said a more detailed overview of the situation will be presented by the committee and the Ministry of Culture at the end of April.

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