Project Niagara Feasibility Study

January, 2009

1 Project Niagara Feasibility Study

Study Synopsis 

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Attendance: o 260,000 per year, 80% arriving by car with 2.1 people per car o 50 concerts per season, average of 5,000 per concert o 52,000 (20%) will be new visitors, the remainder will be in Niagara already Programming: o Classical and pops, jazz, popular, blues, world, opera, musical theatre, dance – using a “curatorial approach” o Master classes for young artists, initially conducted offsite o Hands-on, participatory concerts for children Financial Plan: o Capital Cost: $76.5 million; $25.5 million each from the Federal and Provincial governments and private donors o Start Up Costs: $3 million a year for 4 years ($12 million total) – to be sought from the Federal and Provincial governments o Break even in Year 3, with costs and revenues at $19 million – assumes $5 million per year in fundraising Benefits (per Ministry of Tourism’s standard “TREIM” model): o Construction: $106 million, 500 jobs o Operations: $93 million, 707 full time equivalent positions (33 permanent) Site Plan: o Amphitheatre, concessions and support buildings o Seating: 2,000 people in the amphitheatre, 8,000 on the lawns o Four parking lots, accommodating 2,010 cars o Trees and acoustic barriers to absorb sound o No mention is made of public access to the battlefield site Future plans: o 2017: addition of gardens, onsite food preparation, and a “rehearsal/recital/lecture hall to extend the season” and add “variety to the cultural offering”. Cost estimate is $24.5 million. No funding plans are disclosed. o 2022: “completion of the campus concept including a year-round concert hall” – 800 seats, location and cost details are not disclosed Governance: “an independent national cultural institution”, separate from both orchestras Parks Canada: Project Niagara and Parks Canada are discussing a “partnership” which “moves beyond a traditional lessor/lessee arrangement.” Rehearsal space will (initially) be offsite, possibly in the St. Catharines/Brock Performing Arts Centre Accommodation for artists will be in (less expensive) locations across the region Food: concessions will initially be outsourced; patrons “will be welcome to bring their own food and beverage” Dependencies: o $5.6 million required for direct road upgrades o Sewage lagoons need to be relocated (direct cost: $15 million) o Parks Canada will complete a Environmental Assessment “to guide (Project Niagara’s) activities” Concerns: residents’ concerns over the environment, costs, parking and noise are acknowledged, and Project Niagara has committed to work with the four levels of government to address them.

Harmony with the Environment

Harmony Residents Group Harmony for Niagara-on-the-Lake Residents