Gordon Atlantic Development Corporation Looks to Spark Local Economies
Added: (Sat Feb 28 2009)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Gordon Atlantic Development Corporation Looks to Spark Local Economies
With Two Economic Development Projects in London, England; and
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Over £150 million in Green Facilities Geared Towards Entertainment, and Music
New York, New York – February 19, 2009 — Today, Dr. William Hyatt Gordon, LEED-AP, 40, President of Gordon Atlantic Development Corporation, a New York, New York-based firm announced that he will meet with London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Planning on Monday, February 23, 2009 at a pre-planning application meeting to discuss his proposed £100 million + Capital Studios development. The proposed facility will feature a four (4) studio venue; akin to Jazz at Lincoln Center (www.jalc.org). Capital Studios will be one of the world’s first, or the first, high-definition purpose built internet streaming studios. Designed to be a destination environment as well as a production studio, the facility aims to accommodate a multi-generational audience. Capital Studios will be built as a green building within the guidelines of the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology, as well as the United States Green Building Council – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The studios schematics were produced by Werner Sobek New York, Kostow-Greenwood Architects, and Liro Architects & Planners. Turner Construction and ISG Interior/Exterior, PLC provided a comprehensive construction budget and schedule presented to London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Planning.
Gordon Atlantic has been in active negotiations with one of the United Kingdom’s largest broadcasters to accommodate aspects of their programming repertoire. In addition, Gordon Atlantic has reached a partnership agreement with Virtual Artists that encompasses the production of 236 streamed concerts, 320 news magazine and book review shows, and 80 days of production from the facilities proposed cooking studios. The facility is expected to generate over £18 million in streamed advertising revenues alone. The facility is expected to generate another £25 million in ticket sales, food and beverage, as well as events activities. The project is expected to be managed be SMG Europe, responsible for the management of the Manchester Evening News Arena, and Manchester, England’s Bridgewater Hall.
The facility will be located in the vicinity of the Westfield London Shopping Centre. Gordon Atlantic has continued to push forward its “good neighbour” policies through the incorporation of more than £1 million of acoustic and light pollution treatments. Gordon Atlantic put forward an extensive community plan. The Capital Studios Community Impact Offset Scheme has proposed annual disbursement of approximately £1.2 million, of which 75% or £900,000 will be directed to the Music Service with equal impact on Hammersmith & Fulham state schools. 25% of the Community Impact Offset Scheme funds or £300,000 will go towards assistance with Children with HIV issues within the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. Additionally, Capital Studios has proposed to provide a set aside of 10% of construction contracts for firms located within the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in addition to other set aside programs designed to ensure fair business practices concerning women-owned and minority-owned firms. At least three (3) informational seminars will be held at different locations within the borough to ensure that firms located within Hammersmith & Fulham are fully informed in the steps necessary to gain access to work on the site. These events will be advertised on the Capital Studios website, announced in local papers, and advertised in trade magazines.
Capital Studios has proposed to implement a Community Procurement Program to ensure that 10% of supplies to the facility are sourced from businesses located within the Hammersmith & Fulham Council District. A weight will be assigned to small business suppliers. At least three (3) informational seminars will be held at different locations throughout the Hammersmith & Fulham to ensure that council district businesses and small businesses are fully informed of procurement procedures, and understand how to register themselves as suppliers. These events will be advertised on the Capital Studios website, announced in local papers, and also advertised in trade magazines.
Other aspects of the extensive community plan include the sponsorship of public music events, student internship fairs, and small business enrichment programs in a public space within the council district. Gordon Atlantic seeks a Business Improvement District similar to New York’s Union Square and Bryant Park’s business community, as well as thematic neighbourhood advertising already composed in a schematic by London, England, media, entertainment, and event management group, Blue Crayon, limited.
On Friday, February 27, 2009, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Gordon Atlantic in conjunction with Titanic Quarter will present the development concept plans for a three part convention centre and museum complex to the Northern Irish Tourist Board. The proposed Belfast International Convention and Trade Centre will be a privately developed facility designed to serve the city’s trade show and convention requirements. The proposed convention centre has been envisioned to be certified as Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology, as well as the United States Green Building Council – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
Gordon Atlantic Development has utilized the Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center (286,000 SF; or 26,570 SM); as the model for this development. The Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center site was selected to be the basis of the Belfast International Convention and Trade Centre, because Tacoma, Washington’s convention centre faces similar competition from Seattle, Washington’s The Washington State Convention and Trade Center (1,390,000 SF; 129,135 SM). The proposed Belfast International Convention and Trade Centre will be on Parcel 14 at Titanic Quarter and will be much smaller than its Tacoma, Washington, inspiration due to the availability of space in the Belfast area from other facilities including the Odyssey, and Waterfront Hall. The purpose built space will largely cater to large span exhibitions with a 7,700 SM environment.
The dynamic between Tacoma, Washington and Seattle, Washington represent convention and trade show competition dynamics between Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Dublin, Ireland. The Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center has provided convention seekers with a cost effective alternative to The Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington. The Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center provides credence that the proposed Belfast International Convention and Trade Centre at Titanic Quarter can effectively compete in the face of the National Convention Centre (Dublin, Ireland); and the proposed Dublin Convention Centre, 87 miles, or 140 kilometres away. The Greater Tacoma Convention and Trade Center has effectively competed with the Washington State Convention and Trade Center from just 34 miles, or 55 kilometres.
Adjacent to Belfast International Convention and Trade Centre site will be the proposed Irish Music Centre. Gordon Atlantic Development has drawn on the successful experience of many urban renewal plans that have incorporated large cultural facilities projects to their cityscapes to generate tourism activity and economic development. Facilities of this type include the Milwaukee Art Museum,
Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock, Arkansas; Experience Music Project, Seattle, Washington;
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio; the Denver Art Museum expansion and many others. These “first day [of visit] attractions,” have propelled cities like Milwaukee into the number one day trip destination from Chicago to an art museum with a collection far inferior to any found at Chicago’s cultural facilities. Top new “must-visit” signature architecture facilities include: Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome, Italy; Greater London Authority Headquarters, London, United Kingdom; Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio; Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas; Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas; Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, Chicago, Illinois; Prada Tokyo Epicentre, Tokyo, Japan; the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California; Jewish Museum, Berlin, Germany; Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York; Central Library, Seattle, Washington. Added to this collection will be the Irish Music Centre. The museum will be modelled after many great music centres including Experience Music Project, Seattle, Washington; The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio; and the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, Tennessee. The proposed facility will examine the origins of traditional Irish music and to the history of Irish music on the world scene from the 1960s to today.
The indigenous music of the island has remained vibrant throughout the 20th century when many other traditional forms worldwide have become less and less popular. In spite of emigration and a well-developed connection to music influences from Britain and the United States, Irish music has kept many of its traditional aspects; indeed, it has itself influenced many forms of music, such as country and roots music in the United States, which in turn have had some influence on rock music in the 20th century. Rock and roll has been a part of the music of Ireland since the 1960s, when the British Invasion brought British blues, psychedelic rock and other styles to the island. The Irish music scene in the 1960s and much of the 1970s was dominated by the unique Irish phenomenon of the show-bands which were groups of professional performers who played at dancehalls and clubs across the country putting on a professional 'show' and playing all the American and British hits of the era.
Van Morrison and Rory Gallagher started working in Irish show-bands, but went on to put Ireland on the rock music map. Van Morrison achieved international success in the 1960s with the beat group Them before launching a very successful solo career that is still going strong in its fourth decade. Rory Gallagher formed the blues rock trio Taste and went on to achieve critical acclaim in his solo career which lasted until his death in 1995. He is considered by many music critics to be among the greatest rock guitarists of all time. Since the 1960s, Irish music in many different genres has been very successful internationally. However, the most successful genres have been rock, popular and traditional fusion, with groups such as Altan, Ash, Bewitched, Boyzone, Celtic Woman, Christy Moore, Clannad, Daniel O Donnell, Enya, Horslips, Luka Bloom, Mary Black, Moving Hearts, Sinéad O'Connor, The Boomtown Rats, The Cheiftans, The Corrs, The Irish Tenors, The Pouges, The Undertones, Thin Lizzy, U2, and Westlife that have succeed to please both national as well as global audiences.
Riverdance a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish step dancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary, has propelled the mystique and appeal of traditional Irish music to the world stage. This first performance featured Irish Dancing Champion Jean Butler, Michael Flatley and the Celtic choral group Anúna with a score written by Bill Whelan. Flatley choreographed for himself and the troupe and Jean Butler choreographed her solo. Many of the dance troupe featured in this performance subsequently went on to dance principal roles in later productions of "Riverdance the Show".
William Hyatt Gordon envisioned the Irish Music Centre to embrace music as a unifying force for all peoples of Ireland. The facility has been planned to utilize music as a vehicle to experience Irish history and cultural life. The Irish Music Centre is prolific in its meaning to him, as it represents the peace project. Barrett Veldsman, principal of Blue Crayon, Limited, has led the effort to develop the “dove and harp” logo. The facilities in Belfast have been planned by Werner Sobek New York, and Liro Architects and Planners. Gordon Atlantic Development – pursues both private client and investment projects in France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Private client projects include: hospitals and healthcare facilities; museums, theatres, and economic development projects; projects for not-for-profit organizations. Investment projects are focused on hotels, convention centres, media studios, golf courses, ski areas, and the like.
For more information, press only:
Investor Relations/Finance:
Ms. Jocelyn L. Yambao – jly@gordonatlantic.com
Mr. Christophe Garnier - christophe@wavemanagementgroup.com
Events/Sponsorships:
Mr. Barrett Veldsman – bmv@gordonatlantic.com
Media Programming/Streaming Rights:
Mr. Robert Harris – robert@virtualartists.tv
For Information about Gordon Atlantic, or William Hyatt Gordon
info@gordonatlantic.com