Padel arena serving Helsinki metropolitan area opened at Messukeskus

A padel arena has just been opened at Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre. Messukeskus has been looking at alternative uses for its premises now that it has not been possible to organise large public events due to the pandemic. At the same time, there is a great shortage of courts in the Helsinki metropolitan area, as the popularity of padel is constantly growing.

There are eight courts in the opening phase, and more are under construction. Project leader Ville Palola describes Messukeskus as a top-level game arena in terms of health safety, location and services.

Padel Messukeskus is a full-service game arena, where you can play from morning until night on high-quality surfaces, and, if necessary, rent game equipment for own use. The courts are opened in Halls 4 and 5 at Messukeskus, and are accessed from the parking lot side of Messukeskus. Courts are booked and payed for through the Playtomic booking system, favoured by padel enthusiasts, on a self-service basis. Short-term parking is free for players at Messukeskus.

Flooring surfaces and court constructions at Messukeskus were brought from Spain, where the padel hobby has grown exponentially in recent years. The surfaces have been manufactured by a factory that exclusively produces courts for professional players.

-Messukeskus is a very spacious and Corona safe venue. The ceiling height reaches nine meters and the ventilation is dimensioned for large crowds. The fields can be accessed directly from the outdoor area. There is more than a hundred square meters of space per player, says Ville Palola, leader of the Padel Messukeskus project.

-We apply strict hygiene practices and have precise instructions for Corona safety. Recently, we safely organised the entrance exams of Laurea University of Applies Sciences for several thousand participants, and a Corona vaccination point serving Helsinki will soon be opened on our premises. We are pleased that our good location and spacious facilities that are transformable for many uses will serve padel enthusiasts in the future, says Kristina von Konow, Business Director at Messukeskus.

Media contact (interviews, photos): Padel Messukeskus Oy, Ville Palola, +34 637 127 376, ​ville@palola.fi

Courts, booking: Playtomic booking system