Historic theater building - State theater renovation costs have now doubled
The costs for the renovation of the Augsburg State Theatre are expected to increase by another significant high two-digit million euro amount, according to a new projection. The city of Augsburg announced that the total costs for the project will rise to approximately 417 million Euro. Previously, the city had estimated the costs to be around 340 million Euro, and the project was originally planned with a construction budget of 186 million Euro. The "Augsburger Allgemeine" reported on the cost explosion recently.
The city attributed the price increases to "unforeseen and excessively risen construction prices." Price increases are currently being observed in all construction projects in the city, the administration emphasized. They were not caused by planning changes, additional requests, or architectural decisions. The city council is scheduled to discuss the development next week.
The historic Augsburg Theatre building was closed in mid-2016 due to fire safety concerns. In the course of modernization, the Large House is planned to be comprehensively renovated, and new constructions like a Small House as a second stage are planned. The completion of the project has been repeatedly postponed, and it is now anticipated to be finished around the beginning of the 2030s.
The Taxpayers' League has criticized the cost increases at the theatre project in the past. The Taxpayers' League now refers to it as a "perpetual fire in the budget for tax waste." The League had previously suspected that the cost limit of 400 million Euro would be exceeded. "We can only hope that the theatre does not become another Lech Philharmonic," the Taxpayers' League remarked in reference to the expensive Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg.
Currently, the State Theatre is offering its program at two alternate performance venues. The old Augsburg Gasworks have been converted into a new cultural center for this purpose.
Taxpayers' League on the Augsburg Theatre Renovation
- The Taxpayers' Association has repeatedly criticized the escalating construction costs of the Augsburg State Theatre project, referring to it as a "perpetual fire in the budget for tax waste."
- In response to the increased costs, the city council has scheduled a discussion to address the situation next week.
- Despite the rising costs, the Taxpayers' League expresses concern that the initial budget limit of 417 million Euro might still be exceeded, reminding people of the expensive Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and its potential to turn the Augsburg State Theatre into another financial burden.
- The Municipalities in Bavaria, including Augsburg, are encountering price increases in all construction projects due to unforeseen elevated construction prices, according to city administrations.
