Metro/Minerva Theatre News Update
Local philanthropist Gretel Packer has confirmed that the Metro/Minerva Theatre will be returned to a live theatre and revert to its original name – the Minerva Theatre. This will be a major project in the neighbourhood and the benefits to the community are significant.
- The new Minerva Theatre will provide a mid-size theatre desperately needed in this city.
- The theatre will reinvigorate the Potts Point/Kings Cross area as an entertainment hub and additionally bring people into the area who will want to go to restaurants and bars.
- There will be an extraordinary boost to the economy of the area and to the city with new businesses and jobs stimulated by the presence of a live theatre in the Cross.
- The restoration of the Minerva will ensure one of the most important Art Deco cinemas in the country is retained and conserved.
- The Metro/Minerva is intimately associated with the history of entertainment in Sydney and this important link to theatre and movies will be retained.
- The long-term goal of highlighting the Potts Point Elizabeth Bay precinct as a national treasure because of its 20thcentury Art Deco and Modernist architecture is enhanced by the retention and conservation of the only major Art Deco commercial building remaining in the area.
Ms Packer and her team are currently assessing the parameters of the project, and we understand this will take some six months to the next stage.
This is a wonderful project, and we applaud Ms Packer’s commitment to retaining the legacy of Sydney’s Art Deco architecture, promoting live theatre in Sydney and retaining the essence of our community.
Peter Sheridan
Chairman
Potts Point Preservation Group