Waikato’s new regional theatre in Hamilton is about to be closed in and off limits to visitors until its opening later this year.

Mark Servian, who led the creation of the Riff Raff Statue in *Embassy Park and is now Momentum Communications and Marketing manager, is looking forward to its return when the Waikato Regional Theatre opens later this year. Photo: Mary Anne Gill (*an earlier version incorrectly said Empire Park)
The News was among the last of the invitees – a day after National Party MPs in town for their conference – to have a look around.
The Momentum Waikato project will become the region’s premier performing arts centre after the closure of Founders Theatre nearly a decade ago.
Site preparation in Victoria Street began when then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern turned the first sod in November 2021.
The theatre’s seating capacity will be 1300 while other commercial developments will surround it and be behind the old Hamilton Hotel façade.
Soon the $3 million Ralph Hotere mural which has been in storage will be installed on the upper level of the foyer while outside the Riff Raff Statue will be returned to where the Embassy Theatre used to be.
Waikato Regional Theatre, looking from the stage out to the seating.
Looking across the stage at the Waikato Regional Theatre
The black wall is where the Ralph Hotere mural will go in the Waikato Regional Theatre. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The Ralph Hotere mural
Waikato Regional Theatre
Waikato Regional Theatre
The signage gives a hint of how many different nationalities there are on the crews at Waikato Regional Theatre. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Looking towards the stage as workers prepare to get the roof on Waikato’s new regional theatre in Hamilton. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Pointing the way to the Waikato Regional Theatre
Mary Anne Gill and Mark Servian inside the new Waikato Regional Theatre. Photo: Momentum