Live Nation Acquires Plenitude Arena, Its First Venue in France

Live Nation has finalized its acquisition of the Plenitude Arena, securing the ticketing and concert giant’s first-ever owned venue in France without needing clearance from the country’s antitrust watchdog. The September 30, 2026 transaction gives the parent company of Ticketmaster control over Europe’s largest indoor venue, which currently hosts Céline Dion’s residency.

The deal with Ovalto—the holding company of businessman Jacky Lorenzetti, which initiated and previously owned the venue located west of Paris—was able to bypass the Autorité de la concurrence following a regulatory shift. According to an announcement from the regulatory body, recent changes to competition thresholds under the economic simplification law mean that review is no longer required for transactions where the operating company’s turnover falls below the updated 80 million euro threshold.

Acquisition of Europe’s Largest Indoor Arena

Inaugurated in 2017 in Nanterre under the name U Arena before becoming Paris La Défense Arena, the venue was renamed Plenitude Arena earlier in 2026 following a partnership with the Italian energy group ENI. The multi-purpose indoor venue features a maximum capacity of 45,000 seats. Over the years, it has hosted major international music acts including the Rolling Stones, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift. Beyond music, the space accommodates sporting events such as Racing 92 rugby matches and served as the venue for swimming and water polo events during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Investment Plans and Regulatory Watch

Live Nation stated that it plans to invest in modernizing the venue’s equipment, improving visitor and artist hospitality, increasing the number of available dates, and strengthening the location’s appeal to both French and international event organizers. The company emphasized that the arena will continue welcoming all event producers and promoters. Meanwhile, France’s Autorité de la concurrence noted that it will remain watchful regarding the market impacts of the finalized transaction, despite waiving its formal review process under the revised commercial code thresholds.