A convention centre that could be Launceston's equivalent to the Sydney Opera House - who would have thought it?
While the comparison might leave some people scratching their heads, there's no denying that the latest vision from prominent developer Errol Stewart and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra is a bold one.
With a price tag of $60 million, the Kanamaluka Cultural Centre would include a TSO auditorium with 750 seats, a 1000 seat conference space, a space for Indigenous art and culture, exhibition and function halls, an outdoor screen, large public foyers, bars and cafes, and a specific black box area for the performing arts.
The possibilities seem endless.
Mr Stewart says the conference centre and exhibition space could help financially support a sector that "generally doesn't produce a lot of revenue".
It could also go a long way in brining some major touring productions to the state.
TSO chief executive Caroline Sharpen said centre had the potential to become a signature cultural institution for Tasmania. A "once in a lifetime and once in a generation" opportunity to develop a centre from the ground up.
There's no denying that the development could be a big win for Launceston - if it gets off the ground. But questions remain.
Firstly funding. Mr Stewart has earmarked the need for $40 million from the federal government and $15 million from the state - then a further $5 million to be raised corporately.
So it wasn't surprising that initial responses to the pitch where met with: "wouldn't the money be spent somewhere else?" The jury is still out on that one.
Secondly, the location. Sitting on the banks of the Tamar, near Kings Wharf Road and Lindsay Street, the development is the latest in a long line of big box projects slated for Invermay - an area with well document traffic and flooding issues.
The proposed development site is also an area where Mr Stewart had previously had plans for, but was unable to get off the ground. The failure of previous projects has been put down to the fact they were residential in nature.
However, Mr Stewart seems confident a commercial project won't be faced with the same limitations.
It's early days yet, but hopefully this proposal will be met with enthusiasm, and not unnecessary and counterproductive trepidation.
We know the flow on affects that developments of this scale can have for our community - this project doesn't just represent a win for Tasmania's arts scene.
Still, whether it will live up to the Sydney Opera House - only time will tell.
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