The North Karelia Entrepreneurs have expressed their dissatisfaction with the City of Joensuu's negotiating strategy regarding a new music and culture house. Joensuu has been in talks with the North Karelia Cooperative (PKO) to realize the project, which was presented as the sole contender in the city's competitive negotiation process initiated last year to find a developer for the venue. The proposed location for the music house is a park behind the Kimmel hotel along the river Pielisjoki.

According to the city’s announcement, the agreement reached would see Joensuu compensate the PKO over one million euros annually for a 25-year period, totaling 30 million euros. The contract stipulates that PKO would manage the operation of a large concert hall seating approximately 1,000 people, while the city would take charge of a smaller venue accommodating 180-250 attendees, designed for less demanding events. This arrangement has sparked concerns among local entrepreneurs who feel the PKO's growing dominance could negatively impact smaller businesses in the area.

The entrepreneurs' organization argues that the city's choice to collaborate with a large cooperative like PKO undermines local competition and opportunities for smaller enterprises. They fear that the arrangement may lead to monopolistic control over the cultural venue, stifling the diverse offerings that smaller entities could bring to the local scene. The situation has raised further discussions about the balance between large-scale projects and local business health in Joensuu.