NEDERLANDER WORLDWIDE ENTERTAINMENT JOINS FORCES
WITH ZORLU PROPERTY GROUP IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND CREATION OF
ISTANBUL'S LARGEST PERFORMING ARTS CENTER TO OPEN 2013
* * *
TWO-THEATRE FACILITY TO OFFER MUSIC, DANCE, FINE
ARTS, BROADWAY AND WEST END MUSICAL THEATRE AND MORE
2012-5-9
Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment (NWE) joins forces with
Zorlu Property Group, most widely established conglomerates in
Turkey and Europe, in the creation and development of a performing
arts center complex at Istanbul's Zorlu Center. Zorlu Center
Performing Arts Center, will be comprised of two theatres (one
seating 2,300, the other 770)on 50,000 square meters construction
area, making this Istanbul's largest multi-purpose performing arts
center. Following its highly-anticipated opening in 2013, the
performing arts center will play host to concerts, dance
performances, art exhibitions, auctions and Broadway musicals.
Developed by Zorlu Property Group, Nederlander Worldwide
Entertainment will oversee design, construction and
programming.
"Istanbul is home to thousands of years of history with a rich
cultural tradition, and it's an honor for us to work with Zorlu
Property Group to manage Zorlu Center for the Performing Arts
Center, a world class cultural facility located in the heart of
Istanbul." Robert Nederlander, Jr., President and CEO of NWE,
commented, "Zorlu Center for the Performing Arts will be home to
the finest international and domestic programming, including the
very best of Broadway. Istanbul is one of the world's greatest
cities and it is our intention that Zorlu Center will set a new
standard of excellence. The audience in Istanbul is very
sophisticated and we believe Broadway productions will be
successful from both artistic and business perspectives. In
addition, there is a proven positive economic impact that Broadway
shows generate when they perform in cities throughout the world.
Istanbul will benefit from the economic engine that is
Broadway."
Zorlu Property Group's Board Member Emre Zorlu, indicated that
Zorlu Center is a worldwide project and he added, "We are building
a new town square and center of attention in the midst of Istanbul.
Our focus is to show the same amount of attention and thoroughness
in all the contents of Zorlu Center and not just in the project
phase, resulting in hard work to make sure every single function is
presented the best way possible. Our agreement with Nederlander
Worldwide to run our Performing Arts Center, a leading
international theatre management company, is only one of the
indicators of us taking our project very seriously. As Zorlu
Property Group we are building one of the best performing arts
center in the heart of Istanbul."
Zorlu Property Group's Deputy General Manager Mehmet Even
mentioned on his speech that the agreement with Nederlander
Worldwide has a big importance to make Istanbul a cultural capital
and he added, a tourist who visits New York, London and Paris
nowadays eventually adds a musical or a theatre performance to
their schedule. Tourists that visit Istanbul will have the
opportunity to see world's greatest shows in Zorlu Center. All of
the shows that will take place in Zorlu Center Performing Arts
Center will play an important role to make Istanbul a cultural
capital. Performing Arts Center, with its 3.070 seating capacity
will be the biggest performing arts center of Istanbul. With the
investment of 300 million USD and 50,000 square meters construction
area, Zorlu Center Performing Arts Center will host many musicals,
concerts, theatres, dance shows, art exhibitions and events. Thus,
Istanbul will be able to compete with many cities in Europe on the
issue" he stated.
More about the Zorlu Center
Zorlu Center is Turkey's first five-functioned, "mixed use"
project. Zorlu Property Group is constructing the $2.5 billion,
four-tower, multi-function and two-theatre project on Istanbul's
most valuable property, state land in Zincirlikuyu. Situated at the
crossroads of the Asian and European continents overlooking the
Istanbul Bosporus, the Zorlu Center project began with the $800
million purchase of the land property in 2007. Zorlu Center is
designed by the joint venture of two of Turkey's most celebrated
architects: the Ağa Han Architecture Award-winning Emre Arolat
(Emre Arolat Architects), and Murat Tabanlıoğlu (Tabanlıoğlu
Architects) who has attracted great attention by being chosen as
the best architect in the Middle East. In collaboration with
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality; Zorlu Property Group, operating
with a sense of responsibility for the environment and Istanbul, is
constructing access tunnels will provide a safe and convenient
access for pedestrians to Zorlu Center.
More about Zorlu Group and Zorlu Property
Group
Zorlu Group, with its wide range of business activities,
occupies an important place in Turkey's economy. Distinguishing
itself with the scope of its production, export and employment
figures, as well as its competitiveness within the global market,
the group employs 25,000 people within its portfolio of close to 60
companies.
Zorlu Group realized a total annual export worth $3 billion in
2010. Zorlu Group also distinguishes itself with its successes and
pioneering projects not only with its operations in the textile,
energy and electronic sectors, but also in the real estate
industry. Zorlu Property Group was founded in 2006 with the aim of
developing exemplary projects that influence the global real estate
industry. The company continues its operations with the goal of
developing real estate projects such as quality residences, office
spaces, business centers, shopping malls and hospitals on valuable
domestic and international lands and investing in these projects to
take part in their management.