Especially for when you have a difficult client. 
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That figure probably includes the demolition and rehabilitation of the existing studio site and a new studio & office, I’m guessing.
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It’s to move into a leased facility, fit it out and demolish the old building.
The TV stations at Mt Coot-tha were given ‘peppercorn’ 99 year leases from the Brisbane City Council. Peppercorn because in the days of old that is what the tennant actually paid. Almost certainly they would require site remediation at the end. About the only value in any of them now would be the copper salvage - there would be kilometers of double screened RG-59 coax in those places plus earth straps etc. They also pay an extra rates levy for water because of the cost of pumping it up there. I would expect the next time some $$$ have to be spent to keep one of those places legal the Dean brothers might turn up instead (They do demolition).
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Exactly.
Or, they could build a new building on site purpose built for their needs - bring some of the other network functions up to save lease costs elsewhere - have it generate its own power and water.
But those days are long gone.
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Spend $100m on a brand new facility to save $20m in relocating to a better location.
#10logic
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Could Seven, Nine and Ten Brisbane broadcast from a shared facility on the Mountain? Or is that way too ambitious? 1 Production studio, 3-4 News Studios (2 for Nine, 2 for Seven in case Seven QLD moves too), 3 newsrooms.
Seven and Nine already share a news helicopter.
A shared facility owned by a third party away from Mt Coot-tha would be a possibility. The old radio studio in Margaret St Toowoomba is a good example of why old buildings just keep you poor - it had asbestos and had to be abandoned at short notice exposing SCA to all sorts of bills. The old ABC at Toowong is another example of the false economy of old studio complex’s.
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And yet 7, 9 and 10 manage quite fine with their old facilities.
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Then explain why 7, 9 and 10 in every other state capital have moved out of their legacy studios and into new facilities?
I understand Mt Coot-tha is different, but broadcast facilities have a lifespan and it will only be cost effective for so much longer. I don’t know what form that would take, but no doubt something will have to be done within the next 5-10 years. I wonder if they could go the Launceston route and remodel an existing building on-site then shift everything over?
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In this case, the networks can’t sell the existing property or land to offset the cost of a new building.
There seems to be potentially room to relocate to a new facility on site if needed.
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Because the land on which those legacy studios were built was worth big dollars. Selling the old studios to developers monetised their real estate assets.
What people don’t seem to get is that the Mt Coot-tha sites are worth nothing as they can’t be used for any other purpose than what they do now. So why bother moving when it’ll be money spent for no gain.
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Probably not necessary yet, but at some point the ongoing maintenance costs of the old buildings will be large enough that an alternative will need to be found. Either a smaller rented CBD (or nearby) premises or a new building on the same site.
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I agree.
At the very least it wouldn’t overly surprise me if Ten were to eventually downsize their facilities (with only a newsroom, sales office and maybe one or two smaller studios), whether on the same site at Mt Coot-tha or somewhere else.
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BTQ (and TVQ as far as I know) still even have on-station canteens for staff.
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As does Nine.
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Not surprising given there’d be very little retail presence up on Mt Coot-tha for staff to buy any other food.
Who owns the land that the 7,9 and 10 premises are built on? I’m wondering if the stations own it themselves, as it’s probably not going to appeal to developers who like to put stacks of townhouses or units on them. Which creates an issue for them if they want to move down to the suburbs or the city.
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they are owned by brisbane city council leased to the stations as part of a peppercorn lease.
theres not a whole lot of places for food up there - theres the summit resturant and cafe but thats not excatly close by and it;s not cheap
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There is no retail on the mountain, except for the overpriced Summit restaurant.
Nearest would be Bardon or Toowong… half of the lunch break would be spent driving.
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Thanks for that.
Unless the leasing rates there are very cheap, you’d think it would be a no-brainer to downsize and relocate down closer to the city.
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