Off Topic Proposed new concert venue are 3500 seats enough?

Incidentally, the reason it says 'Hull Venue' on the pictures, is because the naming rights will be sold to a sponsor, so it hasn't actually got a name yet.

Bob Carvers Arena?

 

A NEW £36m concert and conference centre could soon be lighting up the Hull city centre skyline

These exclusive images show a modern landmark capable of hosting audiences of up to 3,500 people and attracting shows and events that normally bypass the city.

Its capacity would be similar to The Spa Bridlington, the O2 Academy in Leeds and the Harrogate International Centre.

Currently scheduled to open in early 2018, city councillors say the venue, which is earmarked for a largely derelict site in Myton Street, city centre, will provide a major boost for Hull's economy.

The scheme will also feature a new 150-bed hotel to be developed and funded by the CIT group, which owns the nearby Princes Quay shopping centre.

Together, the venue and hotel will create about 500 new jobs.

The entertainment venue is the biggest single capital scheme undertaken by the authority since the building of the KC Stadium in 2002.

Back then, the stadium was funded by receipts from the initial flotation of council shares in Kingston Communications, but the new multi-use arena will be funded by council borrowing.

Councillor Steven Bayes, portfolio holder for visitor destination, said: "A high-quality, purpose-built events and conference centre is absolutely essential to making Hull a top visitor destination and to secure a long-term legacy from our year as the UK City of Culture.

"Put simply, a city of Hull's size needs a facility such as this.

"We will formally hand over the UK City of Culture title to another city in 2020, but this development will allow us to continue to attract events capable of delivering a big economic impact beyond that.

"Most importantly, it will deliver 500 long-term jobs for our local workforce and young people, which is part of the legacy we want to deliver for Hull."

Initial business case forecasts for the project estimated an initial £400,000 annual subsidy would be required from the council to offset operating losses in its early years.

However, revised estimates have now put that figure at £50,000.

Cllr Bayes said it was hoped the venue would reach a break-even point within five years.

Yesterday the council's cabinet approved the start of a procurement process to find a partner operator to run the facility, alongside a contractor to build it.

The building has been designed to host conferences for up to 800 people, as well as smaller-scale meetings. There will also be 2,000sq ft of exhibition space, a restaurant and an outside broadcast space.

The new Hull concert venue and hotel will be built on derelict land near Princes Quay.

The council will also refurbish the existing multi storey car park in Osborne Street after deciding against demolishing it and building a new parking complex.

The CIT Group is working with Hull developer Wykeland on the hotel scheme and a possible extension to Princes Quay.

Shopping centre manager Claire Suggit said: "This is fantastic news for the city and one that we are delighted the partnership between ourselves and Wykeland has played a part in bringing to this stage.

"The partnership is continuing to work jointly with Hull City Council over the wider regeneration of this important part of the city centre.

"We are very excited about the development of the venue and the benefits and additional footfall it will bring to Princes Quay."

The next steps will see contractors being appointed by the end of the year.

Two-night shows on the bill

The venue's suggested 3,500 capacity is aimed at attracting acts and events likely to book two days or nights in Hull.

Consultants have also forecast it will not draw many too shows away from existing venues, such as the City Hall and the New Theatre.

They estimate only ten events per year are expected to transfer to the new complex, leaving space for more bookings.

Experience from other cities where new venues have been built shows additional facilities tend to attract even more repeat visits to the city as a whole.

The city council expects the new venue will attract 240,000 visitors a year, bringing with them £13.8m worth of spending power.

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/EXCL...tory-26799346-detail/story.html#ixzz3eX7pHVbw

 

The O2 in Leeds isn't really similar either, it's capacity is only 2,300.

The Hull Arena already holds 3,750 people, spending £36m on a slightly smaller venue seems ****ing mental to me, it should be at least 5,000, particularly at that sort of money.

 

£36m is a hell of a lot of money to spend on a new venue that's not even as big as the existing one.

 

I don't doubt that the current arena is far from ideal, but if we're going to spend £36m replacing it, I'm surprised we're building a smaller one.

It didn't cost much more to build the O2 in Manchester and that holds 19,000.

 

It's just the venue, the council aren't involved in the building of the hotel.

 

Aye, I meant the Manchester Arena, not the O2.

 

Actually, I had no idea it was that old, I'm really not paying enough attention today.

I might go home and sit in the garden, it's too hot to be sat in the office anyway.