BRIAN RUDMAN: WANTED: FUND PLEDGES FOR MULTI-THEATRE ARTS COMPLEX

Brian Rudman: Wanted: Fund pledges for multi-theatre arts complex

NZ HERALD: Monday Jul 14, 2008. By Brian Rudman

Back in early May, I was rather swept up in the excitement over a plan to transform the long-deserted Mid City cinema complex into a multi-theatre arts centre. It was the dream of the Auckland Theatre Company, who were looking for a new home after the University of Auckland gave their long-time actor tenants notice that their home in the Maidment Theatre was not necessarily secure. The hope was that for less than $35 million the old Queen St cinemas could be remodelled to solve both ATC's and the city's theatre-venue crisis. But last week, ATC and Auckland City Council, who had investigated the proposal together under the leadership of independent project director Terry Mansfield, conceded the dream was not achievable on the site.

The vendor, Bridgecorp receiver PricewaterhouseCoopers, had refused the ATC and city officials adequate time to undertake full due diligence on the site, but the project team had time enough to decide that structural restrictions and the complicated system of ownership of the associated retail spaces made it a daunting prospect - particularly as price guesstimates soared to more than $50 million. In a letter to supporters, ATC chairman Kit Toogood, QC, said, "Naturally we are very disappointed that the exciting goal of creating a world-class theatre centre in the heart of the city has been unattainable at this site."

However, "a number of positive outcomes have resulted from the project". The first one, as I've noted before, is that the glimpse of a possible theatre Nirvana for Auckland focused the diffuse theatre community on a common goal for the first time I can recall. The short window of opportunity that a receiver's fire sale allowed also concentrated minds as never before. The actors quickly agreed on what was needed. Mr Toogood says the clear consensus is that Auckland needs a 550-seat drama theatre, a 350-seat flexi-form space and a 100-200 seat studio theatre. "It is widely recognised that the ideal scenario would be to locate these venues together in one complex or in a closely-associated cluster.

"With the Mid City site off the agenda, attention has shifted to alternative greenfield sites, perhaps south of the Town Hall or on the carpark between Aotea Centre and the Bledisloe Building. Just how these sites stack up will be addressed in the study of CBD venue needs being prepared by Stephen Hamilton of Horwath International and due to be presented this month. This study was commissioned by the city in March to put into context the plight of the rapidly decaying historic St James Theatre and also the on-going rumblings surrounding the proposed Q Theatre project.

Noting that the council may, within the next five years, be invited to step in to save the St James, the brief was to look at "potential functional uses and market demand" for a refurbished St James, for professional performing venues in general, and to deliver a plan for future provision of, and investment in, performing arts venues. Complicating this latter-day move for a "grand plan" to deal with theatre shortages is the 10-year battle by the backers of the 350-450 seater Q Theatre to get their south-of-the-Town Hall project under way.

Over the years the estimated costs of Q have ballooned to, at last count, $21 million, of which they have promises for $14.3 million - much of that from Auckland City and the ASB Trusts. By the time the Horwath report is delivered, Q backers should know how much, if any, Lotteries funding they have secured.

Auckland City has indicated there is no more money coming from that source. Even if Q flukes the full $6 million shortfall, the question is, should public money be going into this one-off project if the venue study comes up with a proposal for a larger, more cost effective, multi-theatre complex? If I were one of the Q campaigners, I'd be wanting some pretty clear commitments from city councillors before abandoning my dream in favour of someone else's. One can only hope they get it, because the multi-theatre solution is so much better.