A new conferencing facility could be due to open in Manchester, as the city council is in talks to buy a leisure complex.
The local authority is set to tie up the £75 million deal in the next few weeks which could see it buy the Manchester Central centre currently leased by AMC, a cinema operator, reports Crains.
According to insiders, the council wants to renovate the nearby Great Northern Warehouse and combine it with the current cinema space to create new Cheshire venues.
Manchester city council thinks the move will make the area more attractive for events as it competes with London and Birmingham to encourage big conferences.
It is thought falling property prices means to venture will now be cheaper, making it a more likely option, an insider told the source.
Earlier this month Longsight in Manchester hosted a one-day women's conference which focused on the conflict in Gaza.