New arthouse cinema (Pálás)

Chain Smoker

gordongekko wrote: »

Why does someone need to be paid a grand a week to maintain a half finished building?

I assume they're being paid to handle to construction, fundraising, etc. Basically all of the startup stuff.

Obviously if that's the case, they're doing a pretty **** job. The logic that hiring someone for less still seems pretty unsound.

gordongekko

Chain Smoker wrote: »

I assume they're being paid to handle to construction, fundraising, etc. Basically all of the startup stuff.

Obviously if that's the case, they're doing a pretty **** job. The logic that hiring someone for less still seems pretty unsound.

Are you suggesting they should be paid more?

Chain Smoker

gordongekko wrote: »

Are you suggesting they should be paid more?

Nope, I'm suggesting that seeing a number completely devoid of context and tearing into it is utterly stupid. The thing as a whole is a disaster, there's no need to zone in on vague statistics.

It could be a role where they realistically should've hired a much more qualified candidate and they're suffering over skimping on investment there.

gordongekko

Chain Smoker wrote: »

Nope, I'm suggesting that seeing a number completely devoid of context and tearing into it is utterly stupid. The thing as a whole is a disaster, there's no need to zone in on vague statistics.

It could be a role where they realistically should've hired a much more qualified candidate and they're suffering over skimping on investment there.

52000 certainly does not appear to be skimping on "investment" . So once again how much do you think the role of minding a half finished white elephant should be paid?

nuac

Is the place likely to make any profit as an art cinema?

If there is no reasonable prospect of that work should be stopped and what is there sold off.

Tax payer cannot afford any more white elephants

Chain Smoker

gordongekko wrote: »

52000 certainly does not appear to be skimping on "investment" . So once again how much do you think the role of minding a half finished white elephant should be paid?

Ah, right, you have won me over. Why even bother to tackle a response when you can just say "no"

Gordon Gekko...

snubbleste

GCC CEO is on the wireless stating that builders will be in there next Monday and the cinema will be opened by end March 2017. (More traffic whingeing on Dock Rd!)
It will be run by Element Pictures.

Arghus

Lets hope that it isn't another false dawn.

A completion date is nice to hear about, even if I have as much belief in it as... Something really hard to believe in.

what_traffic

Anybody know what the "planning number" for this Cinema Development?

ronnie3585

Throwing good money after bad I fear.

Arghus

What are the chances of the work suddenly stopping again, after our Cultural Masters have left town or Galway doesn't get the Cultural Capital award?

biko

About 63 I'd say.

Arghus

biko wrote: »

About 63 I'd say.

Uninspired.

69 is far funnier.

beardybrewer

After such cutting cynicism how can you expect anything inspiring?

Arghus

Like most cynics, I am an idealist at heart.

nuac

Covered in Phoenix today.

imho this fiasco should be halted and the building sold.

There are limits to the money that can be thrown at Art

beardybrewer

I disagree, having lived in a town that had a similar art cinema I think it's something that will be of great benefit to Galway.

gordongekko

beardybrewer wrote: »

I disagree, having lived in a town that had a similar art cinema I think it's something that will be of great benefit to Galway.

What town?

charlie_says

I really hope it will work. It really has to with the debacle it's been so far. Can we not have nice things?

Bring on unlimited ticket and I'll be first to sign up!

timmyntc

beardybrewer wrote: »

I disagree, having lived in a town that had a similar art cinema I think it's something that will be of great benefit to Galway.

I disagree with your disagreement.
Galway just isn't big enough for something like this to be financially viable.
And just as the state subsidized the construction, it will continue to subsidize the operation, as the few staff get a nice salary for doing sfa most of the week

beardybrewer

The town I was referring (Santa Cruz) has a similar population to Galway and is also a university town with a good tourist draw. There's certainly a market for the huge number of quality indie /alternative movies around these days. I'm not underestimating their ability to cock it up, but I'm not sure about your assertion that there aren't the numbers to make it viable.

Robbo

As per the Phoenix article, they estimate with the lease Element Pictures have signed, each seat owes them €103 per annum or 70 tickets a week.

They also reckon that when all is said and done, 5 public bodies will have put €9 million into the project and then allowed a private company to run it on a commercial basis.

Those bodies are:

• Galway City Council
• The Department of the Arts
• The Western Development Commission
• The Irish Film Board
• The Arts Council

The usual caveats apply and professional experience has taught me to regard figures in the Phoenix with some scepticism. Perhaps whilst we're still all het up about Console and a lack of corporate governance when large public monies are in the mix this might warrant some further scrutiny?

It seems in this country, it's far more important to cut an impressive swathe and shake all the right hands when it comes to securing funding than it is to do anything the right way once the cheque clears.

J.pilkington

I think there was no choice but to tender it to a private company to plug the money hole.

Otherwise it cold easily become an overstaffed and inefficient drain on the councils resources and budget with management having little incentives to turn it into a commercial success. The newco will surely be able to realise efficiencies from their Dublin lighthouse operation

Wompa1

Where I live we have a couple of arthouse cinemas...they are pretty crappy. I saw a couple of decent films at it and each time it was empty. The experience was also pretty much the same as going to any old cinema just with the idea planted that it's meant to be different. Lame!

Bobeagleburger

Is it almost finished??

Arghus

Bump.

Seems to have gone all quiet again since our cultural overlords have left town.

what_traffic

It will be a #Galway2020 project - so another 4 years now I guess

ronnie3585

There was a short report in one of the local papers in the past 10 days saying all work had stopped on the site until there was clarification on certain legal matters, or words to that effect.

The cosmic ballet goes on.....

Arghus

Farce House Cinema.

TerrorFirmer

ronnie3585 wrote: »

There was a short report in one of the local papers in the past 10 days saying all work had stopped on the site until there was clarification on certain legal matters, or words to that effect.

The cosmic ballet goes on.....

Legal issues stall work yet again on arthouse cinema project

Work on the city’s ‘jinxed’ arthouse cinema project has been delayed yet again, Galway City Council has confirmed.

City councillors were told the project was due to recommence on July 1 of this year, but a further delay has been confirmed by the local authority.

“In relation to Picture Palace, works have not recommenced on site as expected, as discussions remain ongoing between all of the various parties involved in relation to a number of final issues including the detailed specification and also in relation to the requisite legal matters,” said Eileen Ruane Acting Director of Services for Community and Culture.

Ms Ruane was responding to a query submitted by city councillor Pádraig Conneely.

She confirmed that a “report will issue to Council in September” on the matter.

Councillor Conneely said it was “unbelievable” that the project hadn’t proceeded as planned.

“We were told that it was going to start in July, and that everything was okay and that all the loose ends had been tied up. And two months later and work hasn’t started.”

For more on this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune