The construction of the new sports and exercise facilities at Jyväskylä Hippos will begin in December. All parties involved in the project confirmed their participation through agreements today, October 28, 2025, at the kickoff meeting. The investment of over 210 million euros in the Hippos Center for sports, elite athletics, research, and education is unique in Finland.

The construction will take a little over two years in total, and the overall employment impact during the construction period is estimated to be around 2,600 person-years. The construction site will be fenced in November, and work on the area will begin in December.

“This is a great day in Jyväskylä. Hippos will offer the people of Jyväskylä — and Finnish sports as a whole — a unique complex for exercising, recreation, and athletic activities. In addition, the area will further strengthen Jyväskylä’s position as Finland’s leading city for research and education in sports and elite athletics. The unique concept of Hippos has already attracted interest both nationally and internationally,” says Timo Koivisto, Mayor of Jyväskylä.

The scale of the project is exceptional, even from an international perspective.

“The Hippos Center complex will provide excellent facilities for participation in more than 30 sports, including indoor, field, and ice disciplines. The scale and versatility of the sports and exercise facilities are exceptional in themselves. When combined with the existing and future research, education, and RDI (research, development, and innovation) activities in sports and exercise located in the area, the Hippos district will become a unique entity even on a European scale,” says Kai Ruuhonen, Project Director of Jyväskylän Hippos Ky.

The Hippos Center consists of four main entities

The Hippos Center being built in Jyväskylä’s Hippos area consists of four main entities: a sports center, a knowledge center, an ice sports center, and the Hippos Park parking facility. Construction will take place in overlapping phases, and the entire project is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2028.

The total investment in the project amounts to over 210 million euros. The Sports Center (70 million euros) and the Ice Sports Center (87 million euros) will be built through external leasing financing and the city’s previously approved investment of 23 million euros, and will be managed by the city. The leasing financing is provided by SEB Leasing Oy.

The Knowledge Center (40 million euros) will be constructed with private funding and under private ownership, while the Hippos Park parking facility (17 million euros) will be financed through mandatory parking compensation fees and equity capital, and will be managed by a city-owned subsidiary.

The project will have a significant employment impact

The construction will be carried out using a project management service model, with Fimpec PMO Oy — a company that has grown from a local enterprise into an international player — serving as the service provider. This model enables efficient tendering and also facilitates the use of local labor.

“The total employment impact during the construction phase of the project is estimated to be around 2,600 person-years, of which 1,500 are direct. The launch of the project will have a positive effect on employment in the region. By dividing the procurements into smaller parts and providing advance information about them, we aim to ensure that as many local companies as possible can participate in the bidding process,” says Ville Niskakangas, Project Director for the City of Jyväskylä.

”From the builder’s perspective, this project is a rewarding and multifaceted endeavor that offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a development of great significance for sports, education, and urban structure. Significant effort has been invested in the planning phase, and now both the preparation for implementation and the actual construction are set to begin in a concrete and large-scale manner,” says Mikko Turunen, CEO of Fimpec PMO Oy.

Two new private investors for the Knowledge Center

Due to the appeal process that delayed the start of the project, some of the agreements related to the project had to be renegotiated. The final negotiations focused primarily on private financing, which has now been fully secured. The private financiers include Sepos Oy, Pose Oy, Fratres Oy, HV-Holding Oy — all of whom have been involved in developing the project for a long time — as well as two new investors: the Central Finland Mobility Foundation (Cefmof) and Osuuskauppa Keskimaa.

“Central Finland Mobility Foundation’s participation in financing the Hippos Knowledge Center reflects our commitment to supporting the well-being of the Central Finland region and its residents, as well as promoting innovations that have a genuine social impact. The project is important for the region, and we are proud to play our part in supporting it. By contributing to the development of the Knowledge Center, we aim to strengthen collaboration between research, business, and local stakeholders, and to promote well-being and shared opportunities for innovation,” says Haruka Arai, Executive Director of the Central Finland Mobility Foundation.

Keskimaa also sees the positive effects of the Hippos development extending throughout the entire region, giving Keskimaa a clear interest in being involved in the project.

“We see the realization of the Hippos project as a highly significant development for the vitality of Jyväskylä and, more broadly, the entire Central Finland region. That is why we decided to join the group of investors in the Knowledge Center,” says Niko Toivanen, Chief Financial Officer of Osuuskauppa Keskimaa.

According to Jouni Alho of Jyväskylän Hippos Ky, the overall financing structure reflects the significance of the project and the strong local commitment to it.

“We are very pleased with the interest shown in this Jyväskylä-based sports and well-being project, and together with the city and sports organizations, we are delighted to see the long-awaited Hippos complex finally entering its construction phase.”

The project will be completed in phases over a little more than two years — users are eagerly awaiting its completion

Construction will take place in overlapping phases, beginning in December 2025 with the parking facility. The construction of the Sports Center and Knowledge Center facilities will start in January 2026, while the construction of the Ice Sports Center facilities will begin immediately after the end of the ice sports season in the spring of 2026.

The new Ice Sports Center under construction will have seating for over 5,600 spectators during sporting events and approximately 6,850 for concerts. Spectator stands will also be built alongside the three practice ice rinks. The Ice Sports Center will be completed in stages, with the facilities for Practice Ice Halls 2 and 3 being finished first. The entire Ice Sports Center — including the competition rink and Practice Ice Hall 1 — is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.

The new 33,400-square-meter Sports Center will provide training facilities for more than 20 different sports and physical activities. It will include an indoor arena with seating for around 2,000 spectators, multi-purpose sports fields, areas for track and field, as well as facilities for artistic gymnastics, martial arts, and group exercise. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.

The Knowledge Centre will house the main entrance to the new building complex, along with facilities for research, education, offices, retail, restaurants, cafés, and conference spaces. The total floor area of the Knowledge Centre will be approximately 18,050 square meters.

Parking for the area will be provided in an adjacent parking facility, which will accommodate over 700 vehicles, with an additional 250 parking spaces in the outdoor areas. The Knowledge Centre and the parking facility will be the first parts of the complex to be completed, scheduled for summer 2027.

The future users are excited about the entire complex.

“I am extremely happy that the new gymnastics facilities at Hippos are being completed. The new spaces will provide top-class conditions for gymnasts of all ages and levels — from recreational participants to athletes aiming for international success. It’s great that the design of the facilities has taken the needs of the sports into account. As a result, the outcome supports diverse, safe, and goal-oriented training. I believe that the new environment will inspire more children, young people, and adults to take up gymnastics,” says Kari Kasurinen, Executive Director of Jyväskylän Voimistelijat.

Anssi Rantanen, Executive Director of JYP Juniors, shares the same view.

“From the user’s perspective, the new facilities represent a tremendous improvement in basic conditions. Children and young people will have proper, modern spaces that support both goal-oriented competitive sports and easily accessible recreational activities.”

According to Laura Rajala, Executive Director of the Jyväskylän taitoluisteluseura, the new facilities will bring a significant improvement to the training conditions for all ice sports in the Jyväskylä region.

“We will finally have healthy, well-designed facilities that take into account the specific needs of our sport. In addition, there will be more ice time available in the future — and at a reasonable cost. The new arena will also provide an impressive setting for hosting larger competitions, performances, and training camps in our region,” Rajala envisions.

Laura Rajala also sees opportunities particularly in developing the sport through research-based approaches. The expertise concentrated in the Knowledge Centre offers a unique environment for this in Finland.

“I believe that we will be able to further develop our coaching methods and support our young athletes in an even more holistic way along their paths.”