[13] On 29 November 2000, the board of the then-newly founded FC Midtjylland had made the decision to eventually relocate the team to a new contemporary stadium in connection with the exhibition centre in Herning — despite great dissatisfaction from one of the team's parents clubs, Ikast FS — arguing that a stadium located at Hammerum in between the cities, Herning and Ikast, of the two former rival mother clubs would not have the same possibilities and visions.

[14][15] At a press briefing at Messecenter Herning on 4 February 2003, it was announced that the plans for a more than 10,000-spectator large stadium as part of a major commercial and entertainment complex would become a greenfield project, located south of the existing buildings of exhibition centre, next to 15,000 parking spots and an upcoming highway intersection, and that the stadium and its facilities was entered in to a lease agreement with FC Midtjylland with an annual rent obligation based on a 25-year rental agreement, irrevocable from both parties until the end of 2027, and giving FC Midtjylland exclusive (and commercial) rights to all association football matches in the stadium.

[13][16][17] Construction of the stadium broke ground on 2 April 2003 at 08:30 CET and was scheduled to be finished in approximately 11 months, costing in the area of 80–85 million DKK to build.

[13] The spectators enter the stadium using four ticket entrances placed in each corner of the sports facility, giving access to the freestanding stairs leading into the stands.

[13] The entire stadium covered 17,000 m² and a total of 7,000 tonnes of concrete was used by the turnkey contractor KPC Byg A/S with Midtconsult A/S as the consulting engineer.

[3][8][21] The design of the stadium was made with possible expansion at a later date in mind — the foundation allows for an increase of the capacity of up to 50,000 spectators and the roof could in such a situation be raised.

[7] The first European fixture at the new venue was played on 3 July 2004, when Esbjerg fB and OGC Nice meet in the second round of the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

At the end of the 2009–10 season the sponsorship expired, and was the stadium's name was changed to MCH Arena (short for MesseCenterHerning).