New events centre to be discussed at Cork CC meeting - Live updates here

CORK'S city manager has formally launched the selection process to determine who gets a €16m kick-start fund to secure the development of a multi-million euro events centre in the city with the issue to be discussed at tonight's bi-monthly council meeting. Our reporter Eoin English will be reporting from the event with his updates carried live in this report.

CITY manager Tim Lucey will tell councillors at tonight's bi-monthly council meeting that he published a Contract Notice in the Official Journal of the EU last Friday inviting expressions of interest from interested parties for inclusion in a list of parties to move forward to a competitive dialogue phase.

"The competitive dialogue phase will ultimately conclude with a procedure for the submission of final bids which then become the basis upon which a recommended product will emerge," Mr Lucey's report to councillors says.

Two developers — O’Callaghan Properties, and a joint venture by Heineken Ireland and BAM Contractors are considered front-runners to secure the €16m funding — €10m from the

Government, announced in the budget, and an estimated €6m from Cork City Council.

Mr O’Callaghan has planning for a 50m 6,000-capacity events centre on Albert Quay.

A 50m 6,000-capacity events centre is the focal point of Heinken/BAM’s 150m Brewery Quarter regeneration of the former Beamish and Crawford site on South Main Street.

Planning permission is still valid for an events centre on the old Ford distribution site near Páirc Uí Chaoimh, proposed by Howard Holdings.