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Ulster University revealed to BBC Radio Foyle that the costs associated with constructing the planned dome had escalated considerably, increasing from an initial estimate of £16.8 million to £20.1 million by the time the project was ultimately abandoned. Additionally, the university indicated that operating the dome as a commercial venture would have incurred annual running expenses exceeding £1 million.
McLaughlin highlighted the financial difficulties facing Northern Ireland’s higher education sector, explaining that “there is no way that Ulster University could have sustained the upkeep of that dome.” When the indoor sports arena was initially proposed, the 15,000-square-metre (3.7-acre) dome was hailed as a “game-changing” addition for Derry. Besides sporting events, the facility was intended to host community gatherings and musical performances, making it a pioneering venue of its scale in Northern Ireland.
Funding for the project was partly to come from the international PeacePlus programme, which is jointly supported by the European Union, the UK government, the Irish government, and Stormont. This programme was set to contribute €10.86 million (£9.16 million), with Ulster University committing £8.3 million of its own resources, according to the university’s response to a Freedom of Information request.
When the decision to cancel the dome was announced, Ulster University attributed it to the “lack of a sustainable funding model for higher education” within Northern Ireland, describing the cancellation as an “inevitable consequence.” The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), which administers PeacePlus funding, informed BBC News NI that no funds had been disbursed to the project. The SEUPB stated it is exploring options for reallocating the money and remains dedicated to supporting impactful community initiatives across Northern Ireland and the border counties, though it could not guarantee that any future allocation would benefit the north-west region specifically
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