New 7,000-cap arena opens in Malaysia

A new 7,000-capacity live entertainment venue called Idea Live Arena has officially opened in Malaysia.

The arena is located in Petaling Jaya – a metropolitan community to the west of Kuala Lumpur – within the 3 Damansara shopping mall.

The 61,000-square-foot site is said to feature a spacious reception foyer, fully equipped dressing rooms, five VIP boxes and state-of-the-art technology.

In the second half of the year, 3 Damansara will embark on the next phase of its rejuvenation plans, which include reconfiguring over 21,000 square feet of net lettable area on the ground floor of the mall.

“As part of the rejuvenation plans for 3 Damansara, we are excited to introduce a brand-new international entertainment and live performances event hall, further elevating the lifestyle and retail experience for our shoppers,” says Selina Ng, managing director of retail, commercial management at CapitaLand Investment, which is leading the redevelopment of 3 Damansara. “Visitors can expect an exciting calendar of engaging and crowd-pulling events at Idea Live Arena.”

“Visitors can expect an exciting calendar of engaging and crowd-pulling events at Idea Live Arena”

Malaysia is currently ramping up its entertainment offering ahead of its 2026 tourism campaign: Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

In a bid to boost event tourism, the government is offering financial incentives for promoters to bring international stars to the country.

A RM10 million (€2m) annual grant has been earmarked to support “high-impact” concerts and large-scale events (defined as over 15,000-capacity). A 30% production rebate will also be made available to organisers who book at least 30% domestic talent.

The Concert and Event in Malaysia Incentives (CEMI) scheme will be managed by government-backed investment arm MyCreative Ventures with support from the Ministry of Communications.

“This move will not only elevate Malaysia’s image as a regional entertainment hub, but also stimulate the tourism sector through the increase in domestic and international visitor arrivals,” says Music Malaysia chair Freddie Fernandez.

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