The £125 million Hydro Arena, which will be part of the existing SECC and Clyde Auditorium complex in Glasgow, is on course to open on Monday September 2, 2013.
When completed the 12,000 seat indoor arena will be Scotland's largest dedicated entertainment venue and will play host to a range of concerts and sporting events featuring some of the world's biggest stars.
The announcement comes following progress on the site by construction firm Lend Lease and renowned architecture firm Foster + Partners.
Work by the construction group earlier this month saw the central section of the 330-tonne roof section lifted into position, with the first concrete seating sections moved into place earlier this year.
With work at the site progressing as planned, John Sharkey, SECC chief executive, is confident the facility will be ready for the scheduled opening date.
He said: "The progress that has been made with The Hydro has been outstanding.
"The entire project team, including staff at the SECC, should be congratulated for their efforts involved in the process of taking The Hydro on its journey to completion and ready for business.
"The construction team, our own staff and The Hydro team have all been playing their part in getting the building ready to allow us to deliver a fantastic opening night."
With an opening date of summer 2013 now set, Mr Sharkey is turning his attention to producing an opening programme of top entertainment.
He added: "Last week the SECC was placed as the 13th top ranked entertainment venue in the world by industry experts Pollstar in its Top 100 Worldwide Entertainment Venues 2012.
"This is fantastic news for the SECC and particularly for The Hydro as it recognises us as a major player in the global entertainment scene and positions the arena very favourably for securing even bigger names in the future.
"We are presently speaking with artists to play a part on the opening night and full opening month next year and now that we have a date it makes it more of a reality – expect an announcement soon."
The work marks the culmination of a process which started in 2005 and will further enhance Glasgow's reputation as a city capable of hosting world class entertainment and sporting events.
chris.taylor@ heraldandtimes.co.uk
