‘D-day for Cork’ as events centre future hangs in the balance

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.

Contractors BAM and the venue’s operators, Live Nation, who won a competitive tender in 2014 for a €20m state-aid package, have been told they can only get €10m of the additional €18m state funding they have asked for before the entire tender process is deemed legally invalid.

The details emerged following a meeting in City Hall of key figures involved in the stalled project.