By Eoin English, Irish Examiner

The Heineken BAM consortium has won the battle to build Cork's first multi-million events centre on the former Beamish and Crawford brewery site in the city centre.

Their €50m 6,000-seat project - the centre piece of the massive €150m Brewery Quarter regeneration of the former brewery site - emerged ahead of the other contender, a €50m 6,000-seat venue proposed by developer Owen O'Callaghan for Albert Quay.

The long-awaited decision has finally been unveiled this afternoon following the conclusion of a lengthy and complex public procurement process, which saw both contenders bidding for a kickstart fund of up to €16m.

City councillors are now being briefed on the decision.

They are being told that the selection panel, having assessed both projects, believes that Heineken BAM should be awarded the €10m government-funded kickstart package to help secure the delivery of the vital piece of infrastructure for the city.

Councillors will meet later tonight to debate the outcome and to decide whether or not to invest council money, believed to be up to €6m, into the project as well.

* Audio courtesy of David O’Sullivan.