Work set to start on 51€m Cork conference centre
Demolition work to clear site ahead of construction is due to start after Easter
22/03/2016
Pictured: One of the design proposals for the conference centre
Work is expected to begin on a new 6,000 capacity conference and events centre in Cork next week.
The new venue, which is expected to cost around €53 million (53€m) is part of a Brewery Quarter regeneration of the entire city centre site owned by Heineken Ireland, and will be constructed by BAM Contractors.
Demolition work to clear the site is expected to start after Easter, it has been reported, and it’s hoped the venue will be open by 2018. Design work on the interior of the centre is also under way, with flexible configurations allowing for events from rock concerts to exhibitions.
The Cork Convention Bureau website says: “The fantastic new conference centre in Ireland is expected to open its doors in time for summer 2018 and will only build on the extensive range of conference facilities and incentives already available for visitors to enjoy events in Cork City and the wider region.”
Developers expect the venue to attract 500,000 visitors a year through a mixture of music and cultural events and conferences.
Speaking at the official sod-turning ceremony last month, minister Simon Coveney, said: “It has had a number of false dawns over the past 20 years. The idea that people from Munster have to travel to Dublin to see big shows and concerts, it’s not something that sits comfortable here and we are changing that now.”