The curtain officially goes up tonight on the $18.5 million Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre with black ties and local government big wigs signalling its premier position in the city and western NSW.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Governor-General of Australia Quentin Bryce and Governor of NSW Marie Bashir couldn’t make the event, Dubbo mayor Allan Smith reiterated yesterday, but council heavyweights from across the region are turning out in force.
In the same vein, Cr Smith and former mayor Cr Greg Matthews will officially open the DRTCC that the current mayor reports “didn’t get any dough” from the State or Federal governments.
“There are close to 500 people attending the official opening, representing a wide cross-section of interest groups such as community, sponsors, supporters, contractors and season subscribers,” Cr Smith said.
“Special dignitaries attending the event include mayors from local governments across the region, and Local Government and Shires Association president Bruce Miller and secretary general Bill Gillooly.”
They will push the total number of people to attend events and performances at the multi-purpose facility since its “soft opening” in April beyond 33,000, a figure that Cr Smith calls “amazing”.
“It will be a roaring success if user patterns continue,” he said.
The facility’s theatre, where the crowd will be entertained tonight, was filling a need in Dubbo and making it a more “liveable” city, the current mayor said, while the convention component of the ratepayer-funded building was opening the door to further economic advantage for the hospitality, retail and accommodation sectors.
Only this week the hierarchy of the NSW Rural Fire Service had shown interest in using the DRTCC after reading about it in an airline’s onboard magazine, Cr Smith said.
Tonight’s variety concert will feature 150 local and regional performers including a huge contingent from Dubbo Theatre Company.
Adding some out-of-town panache to tonight’s opening will be international singers Lachlan Baker and Liza Beamish, in town to perform Swing, Swoon, Sway at the theatre on Sunday afternoon.
Ranked second in Australia, Swing, Swoon, Sway ballroom dancers Rhett Salmon and Kristie Simmonds will also take to the stage tonight to help celebrate the official opening of the building that Cr Smith reported was “16 years in the making”.
Community debate about the merit, location and cost of the project hindered its progress, but the mayor said since the DRTCC doors opened to the public “criticisms have faded away at a rapid rate”.
