The concert hall for the Brno Philharmonic will cost 1.3 billion

Brno - The concert hall for the Brno Philharmonic is expected to begin construction probably at the end of 2017. It should be completed two years later. The Janáček Cultural Center will cost 1.3 billion Czech korunas. The mayor of Brno, Petr Vokřál (ANO), said this to journalists today.
    The city plans for the modern concert hall to have 1,250 seats. The Brno Philharmonic is celebrating its 60th season since its establishment this year, but according to its director, Marie Kučerová, it plays in makeshift conditions. The Besední dům, where it is based, is intended for about half the size of the orchestra. For larger concerts, the philharmonic must go to the Janáček Theatre.
    "Brno has been waiting for a new concert hall since the time of Leoš Janáček. The fact that we still do not have one is a disgrace,” said Matěj Hollan (Žít Brno), the deputy mayor of Brno. According to him, the hall should be one of the most modern in Europe. Kučerová stated today that with the new hall, the philharmonic will be able to invite higher-quality soloists and conductors to Brno. "We want the building to be open and to function even during the day,” Kučerová said. Therefore, a café should be part of the Janáček Cultural Center.
    An archaeological survey is currently underway at the construction site, which will be completed around January 2016. Subsequently, the construction of underground garages will begin, costing about a quarter of a billion korunas. Vokřál emphasized today that they will serve not only cultural events and that the city needs them, even though one private operator of a parking house in the city center is limiting its operations and another at the Janáček Theatre is half-empty. On the contrary, the city is investing hundreds of millions into the construction of parking houses. According to Vokřál, the need for these places will increase with the planned residential parking in the center, which Brno is preparing.
    The construction of the Janáček Cultural Center will take place after the completion of the garage construction and should smoothly transition to it to avoid increasing the overall project costs. According to Vokřál, out of the total amount of more than a billion, the city will contribute half a billion to 600 million. The rest will allegedly be funded by the region and the state. The city is also expecting other significant investments, planning to buy the majority of the shares of the Brno Trade Fairs for hundreds of millions. The price will likely be announced by city officials on Tuesday.