LDLC Arena


The OL Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Décines-Charpieu in the Metropolis of Lyon, France. Owned by OL Groupe, the arena opened in November 2023 and is mainly used for sporting events and concerts. It is located near the Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium and training complex.

History

Planning and construction

On 7 December 2018, the ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne basketball club announced a multi-function arena project, which would notably host LDLC ASVEL matches in the EuroLeague.
In February 2019, Jean-Michel Aulas, then-owner and president of Olympique Lyonnais, announced plans to build a multi-purpose arena next to the stadium. It would become another part of the OL Vallée and would accommodate 10,000 to 15,000 people depending on the event. Aulas also stated that discussions were being held with ex-National Basketball Association player Tony Parker, owner of the ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne basketball club, about moving from the Astroballe to the new arena. In June 2019, Aulas and Parker entered into a partnership with OL taking a 25% minority stake in LDLC ASVEL and LDLC ASVEL Féminin, with ASVEL to play its EuroLeague home games in the new arena. The club would continue to play the remaining games in the Astroballe.
In mid-June 2021, ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne was accepted as a shareholder in the EuroLeague with a permanent right to participate with the A license. To do this, the club needed a venue that met the requirements of the EuroLeague for international games; the Astroballe had only 5,556 seats.
In July 2021, Olympique Lyon awarded the architectural firm Populous and Citinea, a subsidiary of the French construction group Vinci SA, the contract to design and build the multi-purpose hall in Décines-Charpieu, a commune located in the Metropolis of Lyon, France. According to information at the time, the arena would offer 12,000 to 16,000 seats and would be the largest event hall outside of Paris, holding 80 to 120 events per year, such as concerts, sports and esports competitions, seminars, and trade fairs. The two companies were already involved in the design and construction of the Groupama Stadium, which opened in 2016. According to plans, construction with a planned cost of 141 million euros would begin at the end of 2021 and be completed two years later at the end of 2023. In mid-October of that year, the Olympique Lyonnais Groupe signed a multi-year contract with Live Nation Entertainment. The agreement began with construction starting in early 2022.
The name of the multi-purpose hall was presented at the beginning of December 2021. Groupe LDLC, owner of computer and technology stores and sponsor of ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne and the e-sports division of Olympique Lyon, would be the title sponsor of the event arena for eight years.
At the beginning of February 2022, the groundworks that began in January were completed and construction began. In May of that year, OL Groupe presented a financing plan for the construction of the hall. The group took over the entire financing. The project was supported by the subsidiary OL Vallée Arena. The planned costs of 141 million euros were to be financed through equity capital of 51 million euros and a real estate leasing of 90 million euros. The OL Vallée Arena signed a 15-year amortizing real estate lease agreement with a group of five banks, which provided for a residual value of 20 percent. The first seats in the new hall were presented in a ceremony on 6 September 2022.
The shell construction was completed in February 2023. This was followed by the roofing of the hall. It was scheduled to be closed by the end of March that year. The support structure weighs 1,200t and spans 70m. To achieve a better carbon footprint, the proportion of concrete was reduced by 25 percent compared to the original plan and low-carbon concrete was used. The opening was scheduled for December 15, 2023. LDLC ASVEL was scheduled to play 13 to 17 games in the arena annually.
As it became known at the end of September 2023, Olympique Lyon intended to give up partial or complete control of the arena. The American entrepreneur John Textor completed the purchase of Olympique Lyon in December 2022 through his holding company Eagle Football Holdings. OL Groupe had a net debt of 321 million euros at the end of 2022, according to its latest annual accounts, which showed a net loss in the first half of 60.7 million euros. Textor wanted to eliminate all debts not related to Groupama Stadium within two years. Olympique made the offer of 40% or full control of the LDLC Arena. In May 2023, the club sold a majority stake in the Olympique Lyonnais women's team to US businesswoman Michele Kang. OL Groupe was also exploring the sale of OL Reign, a women's soccer franchise in Tacoma from the US National Women's Soccer League.

Events

During a visit to the arena on 12 September 2023, by Xavier Pierrot, deputy general manager of the OL Groupe and responsible for the LDLC Arena, and Tony Parker, the first events in the new arena were announced. On 23 November 2023, the first basketball game was held in the arena, which ended in a 100–101 loss by LDLC ASVEL to FC Bayern Munich after two overtimes, as part of the tenth round of the 2023–24 EuroLeague regular season and was attended by 11,354 spectators. During the season, a total of eleven games are scheduled to be played in the LDLC Arena.

Concerts and shows

Comedian and actress Florence Foresti also made her first appearance on stage on November 28. Music artists Sting and Lomepal are scheduled to perform in December of that year. In 2024, more concerts by artists including Calogero, Shaka Ponk, Patrick Bruel, Green Day and Michel Sardou are to follow. It will also host the touring musical Starmania for 6 dates in October 2024. In 2025, ATEEZ became the first kpop group held solo concert at the venue for their Towards The Light: Will To Power world tour ; Dua Lipa performed at the arena for 2 nights in May 2025 for her Radical Optimism Tour, Katy Perry performed her Lifetimes Tour for 1 night in November, and Lady Gaga performed her Mayhem Ball for 2 nights in November as well. Doja Cat is performing at the arena in June 2026 for her Tour Ma Vie World Tour.
DatePerformerEventOpening ActAttendanceRevenueAdditional notes
1 December 2023LomepalMauvais Ordre Tour
16 January 2024CalogeroA.M.O.U.R. Tour9,300
2 February 2024Shaka PonkThe Final Fucked Up Tour !
3 FebruaryShaka PonkThe Final Fucked Up Tour !
5 June 2024Green DayThe Saviors TourThe Interrupters14,623 / 15,472$1,162,015
6 June 2024Patrick BruelTour 2024
6 September 2024Justin TimberlakeThe Forget Tomorrow World Tour26,397 / 26,397$3,196,570
7 September 2024Justin TimberlakeThe Forget Tomorrow World Tour26,397 / 26,397$3,196,570
28 September 2024Jonas BrothersFive Albums. One Night. The World TourMimi Webb
2 October 2024Dadju & TaycHéritage World Tour
3 OctoberDadju & TaycHéritage World Tour
March 9 2024HoshiCoeur Parapluie Tour
20 November 2024Patrick BruelTour 2024
27 November 2024CalogeroA.M.O.U.R. Tour
25 January 2025ATEEZTowards The Light: Will To Power World Tour10,894 / 11,376$1,785,775
4 February 2025IndochineArena TourThe Salinger50,000
5 February 2025IndochineArena TourThe Salinger50,000
7 February 2025IndochineArena TourTrigones Plus50,000
8 February 2025IndochineArena TourThe Salinger50,000
14 March 2025Julien DoréNouvelle tournée des Zéniths
22 March 2025Clara Luciani
12 April 2025TiakolaBdlm Tour
15 May 2025Dua LipaRadical Optimism TourAlessi Rose
16 May 2025Dua LipaRadical Optimism TourAlessi Rose
10 October 2025IndochineArena TourLou Sirkis62,500
11 October 2025IndochineArena TourLou Sirkis62,500
14 October 2025IndochineArena TourLou Sirkis62,500
17 October 2025IndochineArena TourLou Sirkis62,500
18 October 2025IndochineArena TourLou Sirkis62,500
26 October 2025HelenaLa 1ère tournée
7 November 2025Katy PerryThe Lifetimes TourBecky Hill
13 November 2025Lady GagaThe Mayhem Ball26,324 / 26,324$5,297,329
14 November 2025Lady GagaThe Mayhem Ball26,324 / 26,324$5,297,329
22 November 2025Pierre GarnierChaque seconde Tour
25 November 2025GimsLe Dernier Tour
26 November 2025GimsLe Dernier Tour
27 November 2025GimsLe Dernier Tour
28 November 2025GimsLe Dernier Tour
5 December 2025Julien DoréNouvelle tournée des Zéniths
6 December 2025M. PokoraAdrenaline Tour
5 February 2026Clara LucianiTour MMXXV
8 February 2026Feu! Chatterton
26 February 2026OrelsanTour 2026
27 February 2026OrelsanTour 2026
March 66 2026RosalíaLux Tour
4 April 2026Julien DoréNouvelle tournée des Zéniths
20 May 2026DamsoBeyah Tour
21 May 2026DamsoBeyah Tour
6 June 2026Doja CatTour Ma Vie World Tour
15 November 2026Deep PurpleTour 2026Jayler
14 January 2027Claudio Capéo
5 February 2027HoshiBonjour Docteur Tour