M&C partners Ambassador Theatre Group to reopen historic theatre in Broadway, NY

CITY Developments' London-listed hotel unit, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, has teamed up with Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) to reopen the old Hudson Theatre in New York for Broadway productions under the terms of a lease agreement.

Located at West 44th Street, the historic theatre, which is part of M&C's Millennium Broadway Hotel, had its last listed Broadway offering in 1968; it has since been used as a movie venue, a rock club and a conference centre.

However, after a multimillion-dollar renovation to be undertaken by M&C and ATG and which will begin in the New Year, the historic Hudson Theatre is set to reopen its doors for the 2016/2017 Broadway season.

M&C chairman Kwek Leng Beng commented on the new agreement: "We are extremely pleased about this alliance with ATG...and are delighted to be returning the Hudson Theatre not only to its former splendour but to its original intended use."

In its statement, M&C said: "Significant work will be undertaken to both front and back of house, including new state-of-the-art seating, a premium lounge service, new dressing rooms and the introduction of hi-tech lighting equipment and stage systems that will firmly re-establish the Hudson Theatre as one of Broadway's leading theatres."

ATG, which is majority-owned by Providence Equity Partners, is a leading live-theatre company with 46 venues in Britain, the US and Australia.

Among the stars that have graced the Hudson's stage are Douglas Fairbanks, William Holden and Helen Hayes. On Sept 27, 1956, the first edition of Steve Allen's The Tonight Show was broadcast nationwide from the Hudson Theatre. In 1987 the theatre was bestowed landmark status for both its internal and external features.