Garden Helsinki admits 'mistakes' in state funding process

Garden Helsinki, the company behind a planned arena project, has acknowledged making "a few mistakes and carelessness" during the state funding process. The project's board released a lengthy statement Wednesday addressing the controversy surrounding a conditional 35 million euro investment grant approved by the government in spring 2025.

The statement did not specify the errors or instances of carelessness. However, the National Audit Office (VTV) announced Wednesday it would investigate whether the arena's project company should have disclosed its lobbying activities in the transparency register.

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We understand well if the government of the country considers that the acceptability of the aid decision requires that it should be re-evaluated or a new decision made.

Garden Helsinki stated that the public discussion surrounding the project has caused significant reputational damage, which could "in the long run become greater than the value of the aid itself." The board also acknowledged that the government might deem it necessary to re-evaluate or make a new decision on the grant approval. Despite the admissions, the project maintains that the state funding is justified, citing the example of the Nokia Arena in Tampere receiving similar support. "We ourselves also consider it important that the support is publicly acceptable," the statement read.

The funding was a point of contention, with the National Coalition Party bringing the matter to government negotiations. The grant was lobbied for by Jan Vapaavuori, a member of the National Coalition Party, who later thanked Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's (National Coalition Party) staff for facilitating the decision during the budget talks. Helsingin Sanomat reported Monday that Orpo justified the support with a significantly exaggerated employment estimate, which he later explained as an error. Orpo told STT on Tuesday that he only had one set of figures and had not lied about the employment effects.

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We ourselves also consider it important that the support is publicly acceptable.