The Red Dragon Centre is an indoor entertainment complex in southern Cardiff, the capital of Wales. It was originally known as the Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village when it opened in August 1997. The complex features restaurants, cafés, a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley with arcade amusements, an Odeon multiplex cinema, a casino and an on-site car park.
The centre opened in 1997 as the Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village. The centre was renamed in 2000 as Red Dragon Centre (named after the commercial radio station for Cardiff and Newport, Red Dragon FM) Red Dragon FM has since been rebranded as Capital South Wales. The station is based in the centre, alongside Heart South Wales.
The multiplex cinema was originally managed by United Cinemas International (UCI). However, in 2004 Odeon and UCI were bought by private equity firm, Terra Firma, and the two companies were merged under the Odeon name.[1]
In 2020, the British Airways Pension Fund sold the Red Dragon Centre to Cardiff Council for a reported £60m.[2]
The current Red Dragon Centre could be demolished and replaced by a new leisure complex, or receive a partial redevelopment on the existing site. If demolished, tenants would migrate over to the new property while the remaining parts of the project are built. A planning application was expected to be submitted in July 2019.[3] On 17 December 2019, it was announced that Cardiff Council's cabinet had been granted permission for the local authority to purchase the Red Dragon Centre from the British Airways Pension Fund (BAPF) for an undisclosed sum. An element of the purchase price will only be payable to the pension fund when a planning application is submitted for the new Arena project on any part of the Atlantic Wharf site (the combined County Hall and Red Dragon Centre site) within a 10 year period.[5]
The council aims to appoint a development partner and operator for the new arena by April 2020 and aim for a detailed planning application to be submitted by the selected developer before September 2020.[6] Construction work is projected to begin in May 2021 and the arena could be opened in June 2023.[7] The new arena will be based on the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam.[2]
Live Nation UK, the operator of the city's Motorpoint Arena, has approached the council with a view to operating the new venue if it is built.[8] On 27 November 2020, Live Nation and builders Robertson Group were announced as the winning bidders to operate and construct the venue. Entertainment investors Oak View Group are also part of the consortium.[9] Further plans, that could form part of a £500m regeneration scheme, include waterfront apartments, bars and restaurants, a cinema complex and a hotel.[7]
^Walesonline.co.uk (article from Western Mail) Terra Firma ‘in talks to sell Odeon and UCI Cinemas for £1.2bn’ April 13, 2011 (viewed 2011-10-07)
^ abBarry, Sion (January 28, 2020). "The bold £500m development for Cardiff Bay with an indoor arena at its heart". birminghampost.
^ ab"15,000 indoor arena set for Cardiff Bay". BBC. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
^"£110m Cardiff arena site revealed". 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
^Hanratty, Neil (19 December 2019). "Cardiff Council Cabinet Report: Indoor Arena Update". www.cardiff.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
^"Cardiff arena plans given green light". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
^ abHoward, Bronte (December 13, 2019). "Massive indoor arena in Cardiff Bay planned for 2023". walesonline. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
^Ltd, Insider Media. "Cabinet to authorise negotiations on land purchase for arena". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
^"Cardiff Indoor Arena: Thousands of jobs could be created by construction". November 27, 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
External linksEdit
Media related to Red Dragon Centre at Wikimedia Commons
Official website
October 20, 2023
dragon, centre, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, october, 20. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Red Dragon Centre news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Red Dragon Centre is an indoor entertainment complex in southern Cardiff the capital of Wales It was originally known as the Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village when it opened in August 1997 The complex features restaurants cafes a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley with arcade amusements an Odeon multiplex cinema a casino and an on site car park Red Dragon CentreEntrance to the Red Dragon Centre 2007 Alternative namesAtlantic Wharf Leisure VillageGeneral informationTypeEntertainment leisure complexLocationAtlantic Wharf Cardiff BayCoordinates51 28 00 N 3 09 51 W 51 4667 N 3 1641 W 51 4667 3 1641OpeningAugust 1997 1997 08 OwnerCardiff Council 2020 Design and constructionArchitecture firmHolder MathiasIt is located in the Cardiff Bay area opposite the Wales Millennium Centre This is close to the A4232 and near Cardiff Bay railway station It is directly served by Cardiff Bus routes 6 Baycar and 8 via Grangetown Central Station to the city centre Contents 1 History 1 1 Future plans 2 Centre tenants 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory Edit nbsp The Red Dragon Centre rear The centre opened in 1997 as the Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village The centre was renamed in 2000 as Red Dragon Centre named after the commercial radio station for Cardiff and Newport Red Dragon FM Red Dragon FM has since been rebranded as Capital South Wales The station is based in the centre alongside Heart South Wales The multiplex cinema was originally managed by United Cinemas International UCI However in 2004 Odeon and UCI were bought by private equity firm Terra Firma and the two companies were merged under the Odeon name 1 In 2020 the British Airways Pension Fund sold the Red Dragon Centre to Cardiff Council for a reported 60m 2 Future plans Edit In November 2018 it was reported that a 15 000 seat indoor arena would be built on the site 3 The Atlantic Wharf site was chosen over six other sites including Callaghan Square near Cardiff Central railway station the 5 000 seat Motorpoint Arena Cardiff with an arena suggested as part of a 150m redevelopment of Cardiff Arms Park 4 The current Red Dragon Centre could be demolished and replaced by a new leisure complex or receive a partial redevelopment on the existing site If demolished tenants would migrate over to the new property while the remaining parts of the project are built A planning application was expected to be submitted in July 2019 3 On 17 December 2019 it was announced that Cardiff Council s cabinet had been granted permission for the local authority to purchase the Red Dragon Centre from the British Airways Pension Fund BAPF for an undisclosed sum An element of the purchase price will only be payable to the pension fund when a planning application is submitted for the new Arena project on any part of the Atlantic Wharf site the combined County Hall and Red Dragon Centre site within a 10 year period 5 The council aims to appoint a development partner and operator for the new arena by April 2020 and aim for a detailed planning application to be submitted by the selected developer before September 2020 6 Construction work is projected to begin in May 2021 and the arena could be opened in June 2023 7 The new arena will be based on the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam 2 Live Nation UK the operator of the city s Motorpoint Arena has approached the council with a view to operating the new venue if it is built 8 On 27 November 2020 Live Nation and builders Robertson Group were announced as the winning bidders to operate and construct the venue Entertainment investors Oak View Group are also part of the consortium 9 Further plans that could form part of a 500m regeneration scheme include waterfront apartments bars and restaurants a cinema complex and a hotel 7 Centre tenants Edit nbsp Interior in August 2018Current tenants include Grosvenor Casinos Bella Italia Cadwaladers Coffee House Hollywood Bowl Five Guys Odeon Capital South Wales Heart South Wales TravelodgeSee also EditList of cultural venues in Cardiff List of places in CardiffReferences Edit Walesonline co uk article from Western Mail Terra Firma in talks to sell Odeon and UCI Cinemas for 1 2bn April 13 2011 viewed 2011 10 07 a b Barry Sion January 28 2020 The bold 500m development for Cardiff Bay with an indoor arena at its heart birminghampost a b 15 000 indoor arena set for Cardiff Bay BBC 11 November 2018 Retrieved 15 January 2019 110m Cardiff arena site revealed 9 February 2018 Retrieved 9 April 2019 via www bbc co uk Hanratty Neil 19 December 2019 Cardiff Council Cabinet Report Indoor Arena Update www cardiff gov uk Retrieved 17 April 2020 Cardiff arena plans given green light www musicweek com Retrieved 7 January 2020 a b Howard Bronte December 13 2019 Massive indoor arena in Cardiff Bay planned for 2023 walesonline Retrieved 7 January 2020 Ltd Insider Media Cabinet to authorise negotiations on land purchase for arena Insider Media Ltd Retrieved 9 April 2019 Cardiff Indoor Arena Thousands of jobs could be created by construction November 27 2020 via www bbc co uk External links Edit nbsp Media related to Red Dragon Centre at Wikimedia Commons Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Red Dragon Centre amp oldid 1132608227, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
