All parties remain committed to Cork's Events Centre project
Ann Doherty said the Events Centre was as important now Cork as it ever was. Picture: G-Net 3D
Cork's long-awaited Events Centre project is now dependent on a return of the global live entertainment industry but all parties remain committed to the project the Chief Executive of Cork City Council has said.
Ann Doherty said the council had met with Live Nation, the future operators of the concert arena, in the past month who reaffirmed their commitment to the project.
She was speaking at yesterday's Business Breakfast hosted by Cork Chamber where she provided an overview of the city's response to the Covi-19 crisis and vision for the future of Cork as it emerges from the pandemic.
In relation to the Events Centre, Ms Doherty said the project was important now for Cork more than it ever was.
"Nothing has changed in the context of the case for the events centre. It is important now as it ever was in terms of its contribution to the economy for the city, hospitality, the hotel business, to everything that functions in the city," she said.
"We have been through the planning challenges, the procurement challenges and back in February, we were dealing with the consortium of Bam and Live Nation to put in place the arrangements for the funding agreement. There is a €50m grant from Central Government for the Events Centre which is a very important statement in terms of confidence and support for Cork."
Live Nation is a key partner in the 6,000-seat venue to be built at the former Beamish & Crawford brewery site. As the world's largest entertainment and ticketing company they would have the ability to bring large acts to Cork.
However, the global restrictions on public gatherings due to the pandemic has seen the company's revenue decimated. However, the company's stock price has surged in recent weeks on positive vaccine announcements highlight investor confidence that there could be a return to live concerns and events sometime in 2021.
"For Live Nation whose business is live entertainment, their business went from 100 per cent to zero per cent in terms of trade," Ms Doherty said. But added that the company was still backing the project. "For them, they are very committed to the project. We would have met with Live Nation is the last month who reaffirmed their commitment to the Events Centre. The issue for them is they have no global visibility on a pathway to live entertainment coming back.
"In terms of signing up to the funding agreement, it will be early next year, I believe, before they can see a pathway. I do think it will come back and the hope of a vaccine changes that dramatically."
Ms Doherty also addressed the recent flood event in Cork. Speaking to the Chamber's Chief Executive Conor Healy, she agreed that development was being held back due to the current planning system in Ireland.
"When it comes to the management of flood in the city, the debate gets clouded about who spoke to who about that rather than the facts. And the facts are that Cork floods we have a flood problem. We have a very significant flood management scheme designed by OPW which addresses the uniqueness of flooding in Cork.
"Morrison's Island is a public realm scheme. We all love it because you can park there for two hours with park magic or park by phone but it is a glorified car park surrounded by derelict sites. It offers the most amazing rehabilitation opportunity for the city and within that there is an opportunity to put in flood protection for the city centre and reduce risk and allow them to
"The project has full planning and now it is subject to a judicial review. And I fully respect that everyone has the right to their opinion and the right to exercise their opinion but I think we do arrive at a point where we have to make decisions. Businesses need certainty. Citizens need certainty.
Yes, there needs a system in place where we can expedite situations such as this in a way that everybody can have their opinion heard but it is also an untenable approach to delivering infrastructure for the city if we need 210,000 people to be 100% happy a 100% of the time.
Despite the impact of Covid-19, Ms Doherty spoke positively about the future for the city and referred to the fact that the city had risen in the past after it was burned to the ground 100 years ago.
Looking forward ten years, Ms Doherty said Cork will be a very vibrant city.
"It will have a very strong public transport and cyclins ethos. We will people living in the city centre. The docklands will have commenced and be built out with people living there. We will also continue to have a very strong jobs market."
"I can see a billion euro of public sector investment in Cork in the next couple of years. I can also see another billion in the pipeline if we box clever, punch above our weight and continue to promote our city."
