Brewery site event centre ‘could draw 400,000 visitors’

One of the forerunners bidding to secure almost €16m in public funding to build a conference centre in Cork believe their ambitious project has the potential to support up to 1,200 jobs and attract 400,000 visitors.

The Heineken Ireland/BAM consortium released details last night revealing the full economic impact of their huge €150m Brewery Quarter regeneration project.

It came in the wake of the budget announcement that the Government is to provide a €10m sum to help deliver a conference centre for Cork.

This will be in addition to the €6m Cork City Council is expected to commit to it.

A €50m events centre is central to the Heineken/BAM venture which has planning on the historic four-acre site of the former Beamish and Crawford brewery. The consortium said the entire project would provide 400 jobs over five years, peaking at 520, support up to 900 direct jobs, with 300 indirect jobs upon completion. It would make a €45m tax contribution, with €22.3m direct annual revenues.

The arena and conference centre has the potential to attract over 400,000 visitors, with the Counting House visitor centre alone attracting 225,000 people within five years, they said. The project could generate about 110,000 hotel bed nights annually.

Heineken’s Declan Farmer said: “We believe the Beamish and Crawford site is uniquely positioned to make Cork a destination city for entertainment and culture and as a venue for business conferences and exhibitions.

“We look forward to engaging positively with the city council as part of the competition process for the proposed events centre.

“We will also engage with other stakeholders, including Live Nation, owners of the O2 in Dublin, and revolutionaries of the onstage event centre music industry, so as to ensure a world class venue for Cork.”

Theo Cullinane, CEO of BAM contractors, described the budget announcement as “extremely positive”.

“We believe that we have a superb gateway site to the city centre. Our ambitious plans extend well beyond a 6,000-seat arena and event centre, to include a ‘cultural heart’ — drawing on the site’s brewing heritage — and a 360-degree viewing tower. Investment can commence on a phased basis, beginning with the events centre that will attract an estimated 400,000 visitors.”

Developer Owen O’Callaghan has planning permission for a 6,000-capacity venue on Albert Quay.

Consultants for Cork City Council are assessing both projects with a view to recommending which should receive the public funding. Mr O’Callaghan said he is looking forward to working with the council on the process.

The vision

- 6,000-seat arena.

- Cultural and tourist centre in the protected Beamish and Crawford Counting House.

- A purpose-built 360-degree viewing tower.

- A seven-screen cinema complex.

- Artists’ studios, retail units, student accommodation and offices.

- Development of ‘Brewing Quarter’ for living, entertainment and business.