We don’t need another large venue, says resident objecting to £500m plan for Atlantic Wharf
CONSTRUCTION is set to start this spring on a new £500 million development that will replace The Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay.
The centre will be demolished to make way for the development which is due to be completed in 2025.
But Cardiff council’s plan has sparked anger among some residents. Matt Liddard created a petition to save the centre, suggesting there is no need for a new arena.
The petition said: “Cardiff council plans to demolish this fine building to turn it into an arena which will most likely be commercialised and privatised. It will make many lose businesses and jobs.
“Cardiff has the Millennium Centre, Principality Stadium, New Theatre, Sherman Theatre and Cardiff City football grounds so an arena is not at all needed especially on the grounds of the fantastic Red Dragon Centre which they plan to demolish for this ghastly idea.
“They could easily just build it on the now empty site where the Doctor Who Experience once stood.”
The development will include a 15,000-capacity arena, 1,100 apartments, with shops, restaurants and bars, covering a total of 30 acres.
Some say this could mean the closure of the Motorpoint Arena. However, Cardiff Council has said that LiveNation, which runs the Motorpoint and will run the Bay arena, wants to remain in the city centre.
Before the demolition can begin, a new leisure complex will be built next door.
A council spokesperson said: “The Red Dragon Centre is set to remain open until a new venue for businesses is opened near its current location. The arena is a separate entity on a different site altogether.”
The Red Dragon Centre and the car park at the council’s County Hall headquarters would become home to the new indoor arena.
A spokesperson from Cardiff Council, said: “A business case for the future of the Red Dragon Centre will be considered at cabinet in late summer.
“The principle is to protect the investment by relocating to a new facility within the master-plan being determined in March 2022.
“The proposed new facility will benefit from new public square, increased car parking to deal with peak demand and improved links to Cardiff Bay.”
The council’s partners for phase one of the regeneration of Butetown are Robertson Group as developer, and Live Nation and Oak View Group as operators.
A spokesperson for the consortium said: “The opportunity for a new arena will cement Cardiff Bay’s position as a top-tier visitor attraction, bringing the world’s best events to the city.
“Wales has punched above its weight with iconic cultural exports for hundreds of years but currently lacks a modern indoor arena capable of hosting major events like other major cities in the UK.
“The new arena proposal is not related to the Red Dragon Centre.”
Other Cardiff residents support the new development. Peter Thomas of Pontcanna says: “The decision has already been and will be delivered. Cardiff needs to have an O2 style arena for large events and exhibitions.
“Why would people petition against this, an event-type venue that comes with plenty of parking that would employ lots of people? It would also mean people staying overnight so it would be good for hotels”
