Bring on the movie museum

The Herald reports:

Sir Peter Jackson’s long-rumoured movie museum plans appear to be gaining traction, with representatives holding talks with the Wellington City Council over the project.

Mayor Andrew Little and council officials met with Jackson’s team late last year in what a council spokesman described as a “general relationship meeting”.

“It wasn’t a meeting specifically about the movie museum, although that was one of the projects discussed,” the spokesman said.

Since then, further discussions have taken place between the council’s city development team and Jackson’s people, understood to relate specifically to his plans for a museum at his 2.7ha Lyall Bay site.

The Herald understands a resource consent application is being prepared for the development, and is expected to be lodged soon. …

At the time, it was expected the museum would attract 350,000 visitors annually, create 258 jobs, and generate $28.2m in new spending each year.

While I’m always sceptical of these projections, this is one that could be right. I am sure the movie museum would become the must see attraction in Wellington. It could even be one of those rare attractions that won’t just attract domestic tourism. but even some international tourism.

So I’m keen for the Council to facilitate the movie museum. By facilitate I don’t mean give it money. It should be commercially viable on its own terms. But there is a lot the Council can do without putting money in.

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