Morecambe will be on the map for live music concerts by the likes of Stereophonics once the Eden Project North is built, says a leading light behind the scheme.
Tim Narey, project manager of the Eden Project North, said that the Eden Sessions in Cornwall - where Stereophonics, Diana Ross, Bryan Adams and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are playing this summer - were a blueprint for what could be achieved in Morecambe by 2025.
Mr Narey said plans for a 6,000 capacity venue at Eden North, combined with the Winter Gardens theatre's aim to expand to 2,500 capacity, will put Morecambe "on the map internationally, let alone nationally" for large-scale concerts.
Eden plans to put on a maximum of eight events of its own per year at the seafront site.
And Mr Narey said they could also allow other local, regional or national promoters to use the facility for their own major events and festivals.
LISTEN NOW to Tim Narey giving the latest update about the Eden Project North in Morecambe:
"The music component of what could be done around Eden North and the Winter Gardens is absolutely massive," he said.
"We've got a 6,000 capacity outdoor arena where we're allowed to do eight events a year. And that's eight for Eden, that doesn't mean that we can't give it to the council or another party to say 'do this, do that'.
"When Vintage (by-the-sea festival) comes here, that arena might be handed over to Vintage for the festival.
"With the Winter Gardens, a 2,500 capacity indoor music hall, and our 6,000 capacity outdoor music hall, Morecambe is really going to be on the map, possibly internationally, let alone nationally.
"The Eden Sessions, the concerts that we do in Cornwall, are amazing.
"If you close your eyes and dream a little bit about what could be happening in 2025 here, in terms of performers visiting, it could be quite incredible.
"We've got Stereophonics in Cornwall this year. The potential is massive."
Mr Narey (pictured) was speaking to Morecambe Bay hoteliers and other tourism businesses at the Bay Tourism Association meeting held at the Midland Hotel on Wednesday.
He also gave an update on the next stage of plans to build the Eden Project North attraction on Morecambe promenade, which is predicted could pull one million visitors per year to the town.
"In the Eden organisation, Morecambe is the number one priority for us at the moment. It will happen," he said.
"It's not if, it's when. We are definitely coming."
Mr Narey said that while private and philanthrophic funding is in place for the £125m scheme, a successful bid for government Levelling Up money this summer was "critical".
He said the bid would be for £50m, and would be under the "large-scale cultural venue" criteria laid down by the government.
"This category, we feel, has really been written for us and we're one of the very few organisations that could go for it," he said.
"We've got three months of hard work to make our bid the best that it can be."
He also said that a "time-ticketing" system of admission tickets, would "really control traffic and transport impacts" on the town.
This system would, he said, mean that visitors would have to pre-buy tickets, and "there aren't really any walk-ups".
Mr Narey said this system had been a "revelation" at the Eden Project in Cornwall.
"The time-ticketing system, at peak, we are only adding about 200 vehicles per hour to the network movements around here," he said.
He said vehicles visiting Eden would be split with a "roughly 50-50 balance on peak day" between the Park and Ride at Junction 34 of the M6 near Caton, and in-town parking.
"Park and ride will take out about half the private vehicles, we want an ultra low emission zone around Eden Project," he said.
"We are letting some vehicles in town because we want to make sure we get the economic benefit for the town centre."
Mr Narey also said Eden wanted to focus on bringing visitors to have "overnight stays" in Morecambe and said there was "room for new accommodation in Morecambe".
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BREAKING: Ambitious Eden Project North plans unanimously approved - Beyond Radio
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