City Hall says Cork Event Centre has projected cost of under €200m

The long-awaited Cork Event Centre has entered the first stage of procurement, with an estimated cost of €150m-€200m.

In a notice published early Monday, Cork City Council said it was going out to a “competitive dialogue”, which is an initial stage before progressing to the full contract and construction at a yet-to-be confirmed site.

“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 and be able to host concerts, television productions, boxing matches, cultural events, exhibitions, and festivals. It will be marketed internationally 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 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 Beamish and Crawford site on South Main Street and a docklands site proposed by Marina Market owner Tom Coughlan.

Furthermore, developer Michael O’Flynn last week raised the prospect of the centre being located at Páirc 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 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.