The new £73 million Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport has been hailed as one of the highlights happening in the Liverpool City Region.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram singled out the exciting new development for special praise in his Combined Authority Annual Review which sets out major achievements during 2022-23.
Work is due to begin this summer by Kier Groupon the demolition of the former Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, which has been closed since March 2020.
Sefton Council will then lead the project to create a brand new Marine Lake Events Centre in its place, with the addition of a spectacular new water and light show – the first of its kind in the UK.
The new MLEC is the central project in the Government’s Town Deal scheme, which has allocated £33.3 million to it, with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority contributing £20 million and Sefton Council adding £19.9 million in prudential borrowing as it pursues further sources of funding.
The Metro Mayor’s report says: “Southport Marine Lake Events Centre moved a major step closer in October 2022 when the Combined Authority approved a further £17.7m towards the ambitious project, bringing its total commitment up to £20m.
“The new multi-purpose events centre in Southport will include a 1,500 capacity theatre as well as exhibition and conference facilities.
“Planning approval was granted in April this year which will see construction work begin this summer.
“The events complex will replace the existing Southport Theatre and Convention Centre, which closed in 2020 and was unable to reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic when the operator went into administration.
“The new £73m centre, which will include the Light Fantastic, a water, light and sound show in the Marine Lake, is expected to bring more than half a million new visitors to Southport each year and generate an annual £18m boost for the local economy.
“This will, in turn, lead to a significant number of job opportunities.
“The planned £73m centre is expected to create 200 jobs and bring more than half a million additional visitors to the town each year, adding an extra £18m to the local economy.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“From the thousands of jobs, training and skills opportunities we’ve created, to the vital investments we’ve made to support our residents through the cost-of-living crisis, I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made to transform people’s lives for the better.
“At every step of this journey, our residents have been at the heart of our decision making. Because, for investment to mean anything, local people and communities have to feel its benefits.”
Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com
