A key cultural and urban development milestone has been reached in Antigua and Barbuda, as senior government officials and major funding partners conducted an on-site inspection of the Deluxe Building redevelopment project, which is being converted into the country’s first dedicated National Theater for the creative community.
Leading the official tour on Wednesday was Minister of Social and Urban Transformation, the Honourable Rawdon Turner. He was joined by a high-profile delegation including Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Ambassador Elizabeth Makhoul, and a team of senior consultants and representatives from Project Management Institute (PMI), the primary grant provider backing the transformative initiative.
The primary goal of the site visit was to get a first-hand look at current construction progress, walk through key work zones, align on revised construction timelines where needed, and evaluate how close the project is to final completion and handover to the government. Originally constructed decades ago as a prominent entertainment venue, the aging Deluxe Building holds deep cultural history in the heart of St. John’s, the nation’s capital. Its conversion into a modern national theater is a core component of the Gaston Browne administration’s broader strategic agenda focused on urban renewal across St. John’s and targeted investment in the country’s creative and cultural sectors.
During the inspection tour, project managers briefed the assembled stakeholders on the scope of ongoing structural upgrades and heritage rehabilitation work currently underway at the site, which is focused on preserving the building’s iconic original character while updating its infrastructure for 21st-century use. Once fully completed, the new National Theater will fill a long-standing gap in Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural infrastructure, serving as a flexible, modern venue for a wide range of events including professional theatrical productions, live musical performances, national conferences, cultural heritage showcases, and other major national and international events hosted by the country.
PMI representatives, who are providing critical grant funding to make the project possible, also received a detailed breakdown of completed construction benchmarks and the ongoing cross-team coordination efforts between government agencies and private contractors that are designed to keep the project moving according to its original delivery schedule. Officials reaffirmed their commitment to opening the venue on time to support the growth of Antigua and Barbuda’s creative economy.