Social and Urban Transformation Minister Rawdon Turner says Antigua and Barbuda’s new Performing Arts Centre remains on schedule for completion by the end of September, as construction enters its final major phase.

Turner made the remarks during a tour of the facility, which is expected to seat 875 people and serve as the venue for the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November before becoming a permanent home for the creative arts.

“We are confident that we can deliver the building by the end of September,” Turner said. He explained that balcony seating represents the last major construction component and is expected to be completed within three weeks. Once that work is finished, crews will move on to installing side panels, ceilings and other interior elements, many of which have already been prepared.

Foreign Affairs Minister and Chairman of the National Task Force for CHOGM 2026, E.P. Chet Greene, praised the quality of the project and highlighted the role of local workers in its development. He said the taxpayer-funded facility reflects the government’s commitment to investing in the performing arts and expanding the country’s tourism offerings.

Greene also pointed to Antigua and Barbuda’s successful hosting of major international events, including the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in 2024 and the OAS General Assembly in 2025, expressing confidence that CHOGM 2026 will be similarly successful.

While acknowledging that financing remains a key concern, Greene said positive reviews from Commonwealth officials and stakeholders have reinforced confidence in the country’s preparations. “I’m satisfied that we have never failed as a country,” he said.