North Somerset Council has voted to approve a contract that will see the former Tropicana lido in Weston-super-Mare reopen in 2028 as a 10,000-capacity live entertainment venue.
Global events promoter Live Nation has signed on to run the site on a 25-year lease, subject to planning consent and an operational agreement following the completion of a major refurbishment.
Council leader Cllr Mike Bell called the decision ‘a significant step forward in the rebirth of the Tropicana’, adding that Live Nation's plans would increase footfall to the region, boost accommodation and retail, and create new jobs.
Live Nation SVP Eddie Kemsley said the firm is ‘very excited’ to bring the venue back to life with a programme of music and live events.
The Tropicana's planned programme will span all genres, drawing on Live Nation's experience at comparable east coast venues.
The project has received £20m in Government funding alongside a further £2.7m from the Cultural Development Fund, and forms part of a wider regeneration effort across Weston's seafront and town centre.
