Grand Canal Theatre is the largest fixed seated theatre in Ireland, and the only Irish theatre with a stage capable of hosting major London West-End shows. It would rank as the 4th largest London West-End theatre, and exceeds the capacity of all New YorkBroadway theatres. The theatre was built by Joe O'Reilly of Chartered Land, on a 0.8 acre site, at a reported cost of €80 million, to the specifications of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. The cost of the theatre was funded by the sale of two sites, on either side of the theatre, that Joe O'Reilly purchased from the DDDA in 2006. Therefore, as well as the Grand Canal Theatre, O'Reilly built the southoffice block, and north office blocks, as well as a 222-space car-park. Polish-American starchitect Daniel Libeskind designed the theatre for the DDDA in 2004. Studio Liebskind also designed the office blocks on either side of the theatre to ensure O'Reilly's scheme was integrated. Studio Liebskind collaborated with RHWL architects in London and McCauley Daye O'Connell architects in Dublin. Construction started on the theatre in January 2007 and finished in late 2009. The main contractor was John Sisk & Sons and Arups were the main engineers. The DDDA's wider development of the Grand Canal Square, included another office block, a 5-star Hotel and a Martha Schwartz designed 10,000 sq ft central piazza.
Ownership (2010 onwards)
As construction began in January 2007, the DDDA reportedly proposed the Grand Canal Theatre to the State or the Abbey Theatre, or as a new venue for National Concert Hall, but neither were able to meet the cost of fit-out, or handle the scale of the venue. The theatre was purchased by Dublin Docklands-based businessman Harry Crosbie for €10m in July 2007 from Joe O'Reilly. Crosbie borrowed the purchase price, plus another €3.8m for the fit-out, from Allied Irish Banks. Crosbie then leased the management contract for the Grand Canal Theatre to Live Nation. Crosbie officially opened the Grand Canal Theatre with a performance of Swan Lake by the Russian State Ballet of Siberia on 18 March 2010. The Grand Canal Theatre was formally renamed the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on 7 March 2012 as part of a 6.5-year naming rights deal with Bord Gáis Energy worth a reported €4.5 million. The theatre was put into receivership by the NAMA in April 2013. Crosbie's AIB theatre loans had been transferred to NAMA, however, Crosbie had larger loans with NAMA on various docklands projects. He unsuccessfully fought the foreclosure by NAMA's receiver, Grant Thornton. Grant Thornton took control of the theatre for NAMA, however Live Nation continued to manage the venue and support the sales process with CBRE. The theatre was sold in September 2014 on behalf of Grant Thornton for €28m, to Bernie and John Gallagher, one of Ireland's richest hotel couples. They had not previously owned a theatre or concert venue. LiveNation remain as venue managers.
Operational performance
Filed accounts, indicate that the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre:
sells circa half a million tickets per year;
hosts circa 330 events per year, close to busiest UK theatres of 350 per year;
70% of events are described as West-End musicals, and 20% are described as West-End theatre;
As per above, the Bord Gáis Energy theatre imply that circa 90% of the events are West-End musicals and West-End theatre shows. The following West End shows have been shown in the theatre:
