Conor Healy: Government funding pledge needed for Cork Events Centre

CEO of Cork Chamber Conor Healy says it has urged the Government to confirm financial support for the delivery of the long-anticipated Cork events centre without further delay. Picture: David Creedon

As we approach the mid-way point in 2024, we have seen great progress for the business community in Cork.

This has been undeniably marked by significant advancements including the official opening of the Dunkettle interchange, advancing public transport delivery, continuing levels of investment, and much-needed apartment building developments getting under way in the city.

In the past year, Cork continued to grow in every sense.

The city itself is showing real signs of transformation with ambitious and exciting new projects on the horizon — such as the next steps in the Docklands development, which is set to regenerate and rejuvenate the city — which will see major population growth up to 2040.

From a foreign direct investment and indigenous business perspective, Cork is performing exceptionally well.

2024 has built on 2023’s momentum, which saw a stream of investments as well as expansion and job creation announcements from some of the biggest employers in the region.

One area that is often overlooked when attracting and retaining talent is the importance of social infrastructure, especially in relation to our cultural offering.

An infrastructure project, such as the long-awaited events centre, is the show piece major attraction that will enhance Cork’s proposition for visitors and locals alike.

The centre is an amazing project with major private sector investment being made by a world leading live entertainment company, which will have a positive economic impact, create jobs, and rejuvenate the city centre.

This project will be game-changing for the city.

There has been a growing and concerning narrative that the city centre is not as welcoming a place as before and that it shows signs of decline.

Cork, along with many cities, is not without challenges that need to be addressed, but it is important we do not make this the only prism through which Cork is viewed.

A more balanced lens is required to tell Cork’s story and impactful new infrastructure investments have a major role to play.

Cork has an incredible amount to offer, and areas that have been high on the agenda for Cork Chamber are place-making, public realm, and our social infrastructure.

We are indeed seeing real signs of progress in many of these areas with MacCurtain St now an important exemplar of a vibrant, diverse, sustainable, green quarter, but there is a large events centre-sized gap in Cork’s overall offering.

Bruce Springsteen in concert at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Cork has a rich tradition and is internationally renowned for its cultural offering.

In 2005, Cork was the European Capital of Culture — a year that saw Live at the Marquee start as a one-off event, but proved so popular that it has returned between May and June every year possible since, with an estimated 1.2m attending gigs at the venue.

Virgin Media Park’s series of summer concerts has gone from strength to strength, seeing more than 92,000 people attend concerts over the eight nights in 2023 — not to mention SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s concert with The Boss returning to Cork once more, along with previous concerts having been so successful and providing a positive experience for visitors, Cork people, and the hospitality sector.

There is clear demand for cultural infrastructure and large event venues.

Cork is currently limited to the summer months for such events, and the delivery of the events centre would attract visitors year-round. 

The events centre has the potential to play an enormous part in nurturing Cork’s cultural offering, enhancing Cork’s attractiveness as a place to live, work, study, visit, and invest in.

MacCurtain St and the wider rejuvenation of the Victorian Quarter is just one example of how providing infrastructure can be a game changer for the city’s public realm and local businesses alike.

The events centre will create near 1,000 jobs during construction, create and sustain new jobs in the hospitality and entertainment sectors, and have an annual attendance in the region of 500,000 people.

This, along with public realm works such as the ongoing redevelopment of Bishop Lucey Park, the development of active travel bridges to improve the permeability of the city, and the planned development of the city library and Grand Parade, will be transformative for the area and the creation of a cultural quarter.

Cork Chamber has urged the Government to confirm financial support for the delivery of the long-anticipated Cork events centre without further delay.

It has now been three months since Cork City Council submitted detailed documentation on the final costings of the proposed 6,000-capacity multipurpose and state-of-the-art events centre.

Although we have had some changes around the Cabinet table in this time, the show must go on to keep Cork moving forward.

The project is ready to go, the plans are all in place, the private sector funding is committed, but there is a gap in funding and this needs to be addressed now by Government.

The stage is now set for the necessary political leadership to get the project over the line and, based on our positive engagement with Government and particularly with senior politicians in the region, there is a very clear understanding and appreciation of how important this events centre will be for Cork.

The Government was rightly applauded for its support for the hospitality sector during the difficult years of covid.

However, the economic impact of the event centre will not just allow businesses, particularly the hard-hit tourism and hospitality sectors in the region, to keep their lights on but thrive and prosper.

It has the potential to be one of the most transformative pieces of infrastructure our region would see in generations.

The Government will be making significant investments in upcoming one-off international sporting events, such as the Ryder Cup in 2027, which will boost tourism and visitor numbers in the mid-west.

Likewise, the return on the events centre from a tax perspective alone would vastly diminish whatever the initial State investment would be.

It would also be a significant enabler for the Government’s own ambition for regional growth.

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Cork has the greatest capacity to sustainably scale up to absorb population growth, leverage opportunity as a European city of scale, and enhance quality of life.

A positive announcement on the development, coupled with ongoing developments in the region, are without doubt a cause for great optimism as we continue in 2024 and begin to look forward to 2025.

It is important that we do not lose focus and get distracted with local and European Parliament elections underway and a general election guaranteed within the next 10 months.

For Ireland Inc to continue to attract talent, we need a thriving Cork and southern region.

We call on business, civic, and community leaders when engaging with election candidates to make it clear that the events centre is a significant infrastructure project for the southern region and Ireland, and needs continued sustained support until it is delivered.

The final Government commitment of funding is the only remaining barrier to the project proceeding, and would see the project complete by end of 2026.

Cork looks forward to hearing positive news from Government on this development, which will have a hugely positive impact on the region and will serve as a key catalyst in Cork’s economic development.

• Conor Healy is the chief executive of Cork Chamber