How much is council expected to earn from leasing Lismore the Visitor and Information Centre

Rous County Council will today debate the plan to establish a cultural, environmental and information facility at the Lismore Visitor Information Centre.

Rous County Council is expected to lease the Lismore Visitor Information Centre.

Rous County Council has released details about the plan to establish a cultural, environmental and information facility at the Lismore Visitor Information Centre.

Rous is expected to lease the premises from Lismore City Council.

The lease would start on July 1 for three years, with an option to extend for another three years.

Rent payable will commence at $17,600 (including GST) per annum, with CPI increases annually.

Initially, the council has three months from the lease start date to fit out the centre prior to opening to the public on October 1.

Rous expects fit-outs to cost $30,000, and has set up a total budget of $175,000 for the 2021/22 financial year for the project.

Lismore City Council will remain responsible for operating and maintaining the ground floor public amenities.

Lismore Visitor Information Centre at 207 Molesworth St, Lismore.

The initiative will enable Rous to “deepen partnerships with local Indigenous people and organisations as part of council’s Reconciliation Action Plan.”

The building’s first floor features an indoor rainforest replica, an Aboriginal historical display, a cultural gallery space and staff amenities, display shelving and service counter.

Lismore City Council closed the Visitor Centre in July 2020 to save costs, while a review of its tourism strategy was undertaken.

In late-2020, council tried to identify potential partners who could reopen the Visitor Centre and provide a base-level of visitor information/tourism services, while delivering a new operating model for the facility.

Rous lodged an expression of interest in November 2020.

Rous County Council will discuss details of the lease on its ordinary meeting on Wednesday, June 16.