A comprehensive feasibility report for a new Waikato Regional Theatre has been presented to the Hamilton City Council, recommending a river-facing performing arts centre with flexible functionality.

The design proposes an 1,100-seat theatre, shared public spaces and a public art gallery, to be located at the old Hamilton Hotel site on Victoria Street. The new theatre is intended to replace Founders Theatre - closed for safety reasons in March 2016 - and provide an opportunity to utilise the best approaches in modern, multi-functional spaces.

At a glance:

The site will include:

• New 1,100-seat theatre to replace Founders Theatre
• An art hotel
• A public gallery
• Retail space
• Multi-functional rooms for conferences
• Outdoor courtyards
• Possible pedestrian bridge over the Waikato Bridge

The feasibility report, compiled by international theatre consultants Charcoalblue, was presented to Hamilton City Council’s Mayor and councillors on 24 August by Momentum Waikato Community Foundation Chair Leonard Gardner, Waikato Regional Theatre Governance Panel Chair Dr Julian Elder and representatives from Charcoalblue.

Dr Elder says the theatre is much more than a replacement for Founders Theatre. “We need a modern-day theatre and we’re lucky that modern-day theatre design offers so much scope.

We’ve used every opportunity here to build a world-class theatre, the best possible for the broader Waikato region.”

The new Waikato Regional Theatre has been designed as a top performing and visual arts hub that will co-exist with a proposed separate, privately developed lifestyle art hotel, public art gallery and retail space, allowing for shared spaces for meetings, conferences and events.

 “The study tells us there’s an opportunity for innovative use of resources and 24/7 activation of space between a lifestyle art hotel and a neighbouring theatre. We’d plan to share some functions and floor area with the hotel development such as kitchens, sponsors’ rooms and multi-functional rooms which could be used for conferences or rehearsals, for example,” says Mr Gardner.

The theatre would be an energy efficient build and would be at the heart of a creative precinct with outdoor courtyards, a strong link between the theatre, the river and its environment, including the nearby Waikato Museum. It would have dual access from Embassy Park (home of the Riff-Raff statue) on one side and Sapper Moore-Jones Place (formerly Marlborough Place) on the other.

The theatre’s strong connection with the Waikato River provides an obvious access point for a new pedestrian bridge across the river, as investigated in the Hamilton City Council CBD Transformation and River plans.

Mr Gardner says the estimate to build the theatre is $72.9 million, and includes a 20% contingency, which he hopes is not necessary but says is sensible, given the high levels of uncertainty in the current construction market.

The Charcoalblue report estimates that design processes and resource consent for the new theatre would take place in 2018, with final detailed designs ready in 2019. The theatre would be expected to open in 2021.

Click here to view the full feasibility report prepared by Charcoalblue.

See also:

Third Ramada Suites announced for Auckland next year

JLL releases report on Top 10 New Zealand Hotel Operators and Owners

Top hotel investors eyeing Auckland for five-star potential