Cork Event Centre put out to tender with estimated cost of €150m-€200m for the project

The centre is expected to have a capacity up to 7,000 people, for concerts, TV productions, boxing matches, festivals, and more

The exterior of the Beamish & Crawford Brewery Counting House in late 2025, originally planned for the long-awaited event centre for Cork. In 2016, then taoiseach Enda Kenny turned the sod, but the project stalled thereafter. Picture Larry Cummins

The long-awaited Cork Event Centre has been put out to tender by City Hall, with an estimated cost of €150m-€200m for the project.

In a notice published early Monday, Cork City Council said it was going out to a competitive dialogue for the centre, which is an initial stage in the process before progressing to the full contract and construction.

“The Cork Event Centre is envisaged as a high-quality, multifunctional civic venue that is actively used, valued by local communities, and supportive of local employment,” it said.

The centre is expected to have a capacity of 5,000 to 7,000 people, with the council saying it will be able to host a variety of events, including concerts, television productions, boxing matches, cultural events, exhibitions and festivals.

It will be marketed on an international level and should “demonstrate a standard of quality comparable with leading event and convention facilities elsewhere”, it said.

In terms of the site location, Cork City Council specified that prospective tenderers will need to ensure proximity to Cork city centre and have strong connectivity to existing public transport networks.

“The availability of essential infrastructure such as utilities, road access, parking, and digital connectivity will be considered,” it said.

“Locations that offer convenient access to central amenities, services, and transport hubs may be considered more favourable for this element due to their potential to support greater economic activity and integration with existing urban infrastructure.” 

Potential bidders were also told to consider how the centre will support job creation, bring benefits to the community and encourage economic growth as well as environmental and social considerations.

A major venue of this kind for Cork has been decades in the making and mired in delays and false starts.

In 2016, then taoiseach Enda Kenny turned the sod at the former Beamish & Crawford site, but the project stalled thereafter.

Two proposals have already been confirmed for the stalled event centre project - its original planned Bam Beamish and Crawford site on South Main Street and a Docklands site proposed by Marina Market owner Tom Coughlan.

Furthermore, developer Michael O’Flynn has raised the prospect that the centre could be located at Pairc Uí Chaoimh. 

Last week, the Government approved a preliminary business case for the centre, paving the way for Cork City Council to begin progressing the project.

According to a memo seen by the Irish Examiner, the “Cork City Council Project Development Board for the centre has proposed a delivery model, which means the council will partner with a project delivery partner responsible for the provision of land, partial funding, and all activities related to design, construction and operation”.

"The City Council will now begin the Suitability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) process - the first of a two-stage process of procurement for the Event Centre," a City Council spokesperson said.

According to the notice on the tenders website, the deadline for receipt of submissions is May 29.