Lod aims high with tender for Israel’s biggest arena
Lod municipality issues a tender to build Israel's largest indoor arena, L2, with 20,000 seats. The project, part of the broader Lodcation development plan, aims to attract major international concerts and events currently bypassing the country due to venue capacity limits. The tender is open to local and international firms under a PPP model.
Lod municipality, through its economic development company, has issued a tender to build what it bills as Israel's National Arena, a 20,000-seat multi-purpose complex named L2. The project is part of the broader Lodcation development plan, which includes 2.7 million square meters of office and commercial space, 515,000 square meters of retail and leisure, and tens of thousands of new housing units. The arena will be built near the Ganei Aviv railway station and Ben Gurion Airport, with access via the M1 light rail line. The tender is open to construction firms, consortia, and operators from Israel and abroad, operating on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with a concession of up to 24 years and 11 months. The total investment is at least NIS 1 billion, with projected annual revenue of NIS 150-200 million for the city and local businesses. Lod Economic Co. VP Nitzan Iluz states the country misses 15-20 major international shows and 35-40 international events annually due to lack of a large venue. The project is expected to generate 300-500 permanent jobs and 1,500-2,500 temporary jobs per event night. The article frames the arena primarily as a concert venue, though sports use is not ruled out.