Re: Re: Convention centre

@Rockflanders wrote:

Do you mean the gasometer McNamara’s are building in? still standing last time I was there. Part of the National Conference Centre competition involves proposing an operator. I dont think any of the bidders find that a problem.

Thyat one remains it is part of the ‘Gasworks Scheme’ where Goolgle have their EMEA offices, the one I was talking about stood on the Corner of John Rogersons Quay and Cardiff Lane until about 10 years ago, it was much taller and was a stale shade of grey, but was a readily identifiable landmark from most parts of Dublin. It was so ugly that most people grew to accept it.

@Rockflanders wrote:

The Illinois association of Cardio Surgeons will only have their conference in Dublin if there is a city centre location so their partners can shop. The competition is for a national conference centre, let Mansfield have his amateur snooker tournaments and sausage making conventions, the ancillary and direct spend is at least 5 times lower.

I don’t agree even though I can see the merit in what you are saying, Property developers work on risk and reward and any conference centre is extremely high risk, but one where a competitor exists (particularly one that only has the ability to cut on price and would be doing so aggressively) in a market as small as Dublin would be beyond the risk profile bourne by virtually all Irish developers.

What there is no risk in building is an industrial building and calling it a conference centre, no-one would get planning for this proposal in the DCC area although a high spec conference centre would require a number of sausage conventions and snooker events to cover annual running costs. The Frankfurt Messe hosts about 100 events per year of which less than 20% are the type of conference it originally intended to host. It is an accepted fact that the Messe wouldn’t surviveif it were undercut for these secondary events by an industrial shed on the periphery. :confused: