The new Manuka hotel is well progressed. Photos: Ian Bushnell.
Liangis Investments is believed to have dumped the promised multi-theatre cinema for its new Manuka hotel in favour of a single private theatre that will be used for conferences, according to reliable sources.
Rumours have been swirling for months about the proposed cinema in Stage 2 of the hotel project taking shape on the old Capitol Theatre site where the Event Cinemas operated.
Plans in the original DA show a cinema foyer on Furneaux Street and five theatres sunk into the basement from the ground floor on the Canberra Avenue side of the building.
An amendment approved in June 23 reduced the area for the cinema to 630 square metres, or four theatres.
But it is understood that commercial conditions have changed and the public cinema has gone.
Sources told Region in 2023 that the cinema was dead, but Sotiria Liangis flat-out denied the claim, saying the information was not correct.
But this time, Mrs Liangis and her son John have not responded to questions about the cinema or whether increased costs have impacted the hotel project.
The City and Environment Directorate indicated that the proposal would still be consistent with its Crown lease with just one theatre.
It said the original development approval included a cinema with five theatres and there had not been any amendments to remove the cinema from the development.
“The Territory Plan does not require cinemas for the site; however, amongst other things, the Crown lease permits a cinema on the site,” a spokesperson said.
Further changes to the approved development application (DA) would trigger the DA amendment process unless the changes were exempt under the Planning (Exempt Development) Regulation 2023.
This included things such as internal alterations, external shades or skylights.
The Franklin Street side of the hotel, where a covered pool area is yet to be built.
Inner South Canberra Community Council chair Colin Walters said the cinema issue was not new and many people had expressed concern about it.
He said the old cinemas were well loved by people across the inner south.
“It would be especially good to get them back since getting into Civic is now almost a military challenge, but obviously it’s in the hands of the owner, Mrs Liangis, and she’s making a commercial call here,” Mr Walters said.
“I’ve seen people say that the DA required cinemas, but on the other hand, the government seems to be advising that there is only maximum space allowed for cinema and no actual requirement for one.
“But if there’s still the possibility of having a cinema, that would be jolly good.”
It would not be surprising that Mrs Liangis has pulled the public cinema, with rising construction costs still impacting developments and little appetite for new investment from cinema operators.
The proposed cinema for Gungahlin is still on ice, despite having a site and a developer, with the intended operator, United Cinemas, still unable to proceed.
It shelved the project during COVID and economic conditions have not improved enough for it to change its position.
Stage 2 has blended seamlessly with the completed 58-room Stage 1, and the six-storey Parisian-style hotel will provide a landmark building that promises to inject new life into the Manuka shops.
The new stage will deliver 120 rooms, a ballroom, dining and bar facilities, ground-floor shops, and a gym.
A yet-to-be-started upper-level section facing Franklin Street will host an outdoor lounge and pool.
The project suffered a delay from disputes over lease variation charges and design issues, before work finally got underway in late 2023.
