Blade_Runner83 wrote:Just to add an element of confusion into the mix:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/ ... r-14282545Some new images within the previous article that appear to indicate the Red Dragon Centre as being retained and the new arena purely within the confines of the existing car park. That being said, it could just be a basic massing model as it makes no indication to any road reconfiguration and even shows the partially vacant restaurant outlet at the top of the car park as remaining in place.
I don't think we can read too much into any of the images we've seen yet, there's so many things to sort out commercially with the owners of the Red Dragon Centre, with the Council, with Live Nation etc.
I'd love to see the Red Dragon Centre go, and the Council Offices, and all the smaller food units down there and make use of all that land in a more efficient way and build a complex that has a 15,000 capacity arena but also other spaces so smaller events/concerts can happen. So kind of like the NEC with its multiple halls so that all sorts of events can happen down there. At the same time make sure there's enough space so that things like the bowling alley, cinema, restaurants etc. that are already there still have space down there, but in better designed buildings that make better use of the space.
Hopefully it'll help some of the other stalled property developments down there like Cardiff Waterside, Merchant Quarter (remember that!!) and maybe even Porth Teigr, although that's possibly a bit far from the arena to gain much.
Could we see the remaining Cardiff Waterside vacant plots end up being used for more hotels for example? They are already doing that on Pierhead Street with one of them being a Premier Inn. What a great location the plot between Atradius and the Senedd would be for a 5 star hotel for example?