Plans were put forward to build a five-star hotel, luxury resort casino and a 5,000-seat indoor concert arena on land opposite the Ocean Terminal shopping centre in Leith.
[2][3] In December 2019, Lothian Leisure Development and NEC Group published a proposal to build a large 8,000-capacity music venue and conference space in the city.
[4] The location of the second proposal for an 'Edinburgh Arena', which would also include a conference centre, retail and leisure space, a cinema and two hotels, was a 30-acre site in greenbelt land near the Edinburgh City Bypass in Loanhead.
The proposed arena was designed by Nick Brown Architects, with landscaping by Harrison Stevens; engineering firms Hoare Lea and Buro Happold were also involved in the project.
[9] AEG Europe executive vice president Alistair Wood also revealed that it had considered alternative sites in Leith, Meadowbank and one located near to Edinburgh Airport.