The City Transformation Committee is today expected to recommend Tauranga City Council go for an even bigger performance centre than originally proposed.
The consultants advising on the project say a larger performing arts centre - seating 1500-1600 people - is better commercially, culturally and socially, than the 1200 seat facility originally proposed.
Horwath HTL say the original 1200 seats suggestion isn't based on any research, whereas the requirement for the larger facility is firmly based on market research; consultations with organisations in the performing arts centre like the Royal NZ Ballet, the NZSO, NZ Opera and a number of commercial promoters.
Horwath's brief to answer whether the council should reserve space on the Willow Street site for a new performance venue to be developed at some future time; and whether there's justification to undertake a detailed business case, and when that should happen, is replied with a firm ‘yes' and that it should happen now because there is a gap in the market.
Horwath HTL was also asked to see if there's a case to expand the seating at the existing Baycourt Theatre, either as an intermediate step or an alternative.
Their report to the committee was previously workshopped by committee members on September 5. There is a firm recommendation to allocate $500,000 in the 2018-28 Long Term Plan for a detailed business case which will define service requirements, ie how big it should actually be, the costs and benefits, as well the commercial and management aspects of a new performance venue. It is recommended that the work takes place in years 2019/2020.
The recommendations for the Transformation Committee members include funding.
The commercial viability is looking good enough for the Giblin Group, a specialist consultancy for raising capital towards plans and projects, to expect the council to be able to raise 50 per cent of the total $78.4 million from grants and bequests, leaving ratepayers to fund a $40 million loan for the balance.
Today's recommendation also confirms the council's capital commitment depends on 50 per cent of the build cost coming from other sources.
5 comments
Oh yes
Posted on 07-11-2017 11:53 | By hapukafin
Spend the money here,there will be a return from it.Can the museum idea for ever
Wow are we in fairy land
Posted on 07-11-2017 12:33 | By Angels
Every week there is another huge $$$$$ project,wish list etc etc. what is going on with this council. Who in the heck is going pay for all these huge projects.Yes the ratepayers. Tcc is trying to surpass the western bay for the highest rates in NZ. If they don,t come out of their fairy clouds of gold dust, we the ratepayers are doomed.
Why not?
Posted on 07-11-2017 17:12 | By astex
It's not their money but as we all already owe about $10,000 each what's a few hundred each more?A BILLION DOLLAR debt is not that far away and this present lot should reach it easily without even trying.
The picture
Posted on 07-11-2017 21:41 | By MISS ADVENTURE
What a joke, so many people shown as there, what a load of crap-a-holics this lot is. You can fire a shotgun 23.5/7 and no risk of hitting anything functioning above the neck.
Nice
Posted on 07-11-2017 22:11 | By roseh
But if all these things are going to happen and come out of my rates then At 80 I won't be able to afford to pay my rates,so what happens then ?My pension sure dosen't go up to cover all the increases and my savings won't last at this rate
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