The arena is owned by Lillehammer Olympiapark and is located adjacent to the ski jumping hill Lysgårdsbakken.

Kanthaugen has traditionally served as a recreational area for Lillehammer, and has in particular been used for alpine skiing.

At the time of the closing, a local businessman proposed that it be renovated and that a tobogganing slide be built from Kanthaugen to Stampesletta.

Placing venues at Kanthaugen was controversial, as it would result in permanent encroachments in one of the town's main recreational areas.

[6] The venue was completed in the fall of 1992[6] and was the first freestyle skiing arena in the world to feature a common spectator area for all three event hills.

[7] The arena is located next to the ski jumping hill Lysgårdsbakken, with which it shares some broadcasting and telecommunications facilities.

[1] During the Olympics, 800 square meters (8,611 sq ft) of temporary buildings, including tents, were erected at the venue.

[8] In the men's moguls, Switzerlands's Andreas Schönbächler won ahead of Canada's Philippe LaRoche and Lloyd Langlois.

[10] In the women's aerials, Lina Cheryazova won, claiming Uzbekistan's only medal at the Olympiad,[11] ahead of Sweden's Marie Lindgren and Norway's Hilde Synnøve Lid.