Red Dragon Centre
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2011) |
| Red Dragon Centre | |
|---|---|
 Entrance to the Red Dragon Centre (2007) | |
| Alternative names | Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village |
| General information | |
| Type | Entertainment, leisure complex |
| Location | Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff Bay |
| Coordinates | 51°28′00″N 3°09′51″W / 51.4667°N 3.1641°W |
| Opening | August 1997 |
| Owner | British Airways Pension Fund |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Holder Mathias |
The Red Dragon Centre is an indoor entertainment complex in southern Cardiff, the capital of Wales. It was originally known as the Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village when it opened in August 1997. The complex features restaurants, cafés, a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley with arcade amusements, an Odeon multiplex cinema, a casino and an on-site car park.
It is located in the Cardiff Bay area, opposite the Wales Millennium Centre. This is close to the A4232 and near Cardiff Bay railway station. It is directly served by Cardiff Bus routes 6 (Baycar) and 8 (via Grangetown, Central Station) to the city centre.
History
The centre opened in 1997 as the Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village. The centre was renamed in 2000 as Red Dragon Centre (named after the commercial radio station for Cardiff and Newport, Red Dragon Fm) Red Dragon Fm has since been rebranded as Capital FM South Wales. The station is based in the centre, alongside Heart South Wales.
The multiplex cinema was originally managed by United Cinemas International (UCI). However, in 2004 Odeon and UCI were bought by private equity firm, Terra Firma, and the two companies were merged under the Odeon name.[1]
Future plans
In November 2018, it was reported that a 15,000-seat indoor arena would be built on the site.[2] The Atlantic Wharf site was chosen over six other sites, including Callaghan Square near Cardiff Central railway station, the 5,000-seat Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, with an arena suggested as part of a £150m redevelopment of Cardiff Arms Park.[3]
The current Red Dragon Centre will be demolished but not before a new leisure complex is built on the main car park. Tenants would then migrate over to the new property, while the remaining parts of the project are built on the site of the current leisure development. A planning application was expected to be submitted in July 2019.[2]
Live Nation UK, the operator of the city's Motorpoint Arena, has approached the council with a view to operating the new venue if it is built.[4]
Centre tenants
Current tenants include Grosvenor Casinos, Bella Italia, Cadwaladers Coffee House, Hollywood Bowl, Five Guys, Odeon, Capital FM South Wales, Heart South Wales and Travelodge.
See also
References
- ^ Walesonline.co.uk (article from Western Mail) Terra Firma ‘in talks to sell Odeon and UCI Cinemas for £1.2bn’ April 13, 2011 (viewed 2011-10-07)
- ^ a b "15,000 indoor arena set for Cardiff Bay". BBC. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ "£110m Cardiff arena site revealed". 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Ltd, Insider Media. "Cabinet to authorise negotiations on land purchase for arena". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
External links
Media related to Red Dragon Centre at Wikimedia Commons