The success of the Ed Sheeran concerts in Cork, which were worth an estimated €60m to the local economy, has given the city a taste of what an events centre could deliver, business leaders said yesterday.

The success of the Ed Sheeran concerts in Cork, which were worth an estimated €60m to the local economy, has given the city a taste of what an events centre could deliver, business leaders said yesterday.

The news that work on Cork City’s long-awaited €73m events centre may begin this year must be welcomed.

A city councillor also claimed last night that a consortium is poised to invest in the development of the ‘rapid-build 5,000-capacity modular facility’ as the second anniversary of the sod turning on the stalled project nears with no sign of construction starting.

The Tánaiste is working on an initiative to save the stalled Cork event centre project from collapse amid concerns that an extra €10m in State aid may not be enough to get the controversial project over the line.

No minutes exist of the only meeting held between Department of Culture officials and Cork City Council on funding for the long-delayed events centre, the department has revealed.

There have been calls for an urgent public update on the status of Cork’s stalled events centre project as a new report shows how the city is poised for a 30% boost to its hotel bed capacity.

The future of Cork’s 6,000-seat events centre is hanging by a thread after its joint development partners were given a funding ultimatum.

Crunch talks are set to take place this week in a bid to save the controversial Cork events centre project.

Fresh concerns have been raised about Cork’s stalled events centre following confirmation that legal advice, linked to a request for an extra €18m in state aid, has been sought.

Owners of two of Cork’s best-known nightclubs have lodged appeals against a decision to grant planning for student apartments on the former Beamish and Crawford site.

The developers of Cork’s stalled event centre may have to apply for new planning permission after it emerged that they need to build a bigger venue.

Fianna Fáil has called for a full and open briefing on the controversial Cork events centre project before another cent of public money is pumped into it.

The Government could be asked to cough up another €10m in State funding to save the stalled Cork event centre project from collapse.

Demolition work on the site of Cork’s proposed €53m events and conference centre is expected to begin after Easter.

The chief executive of Cork City Council has reported significant progress in talks designed to deliver the city’s first major events centre.