Re: Re: The Opera Centre

Why would any service company want to set up in the city? Why not take a site on an industrial estate (sorry: business park) somewhere, with lots of parking spaces?

The Opera Centre proposal seemed to envisage turning the city centre into a suburban shopping centre. But the suburban shopping centres are already quite good at that and have better road access. The project’s appeal to the city fathers seemed to be that retail would provide a high-margin activity that could justify the city’s continued existence, but it may be that no such activity exists. Large manufacturing, retail and service (even public service) activities don’t need the city, so what is it for?

bjg