Tallinn Deputy Mayor Kaarel Oja (SDE) said at the city council's information session that the City Theater is the most expensive building project in the current Tallinn budget and construction has become even more expensive than anticipated.

"At the end of last year, the construction cost was estimated at €28.5 million, but with the second supplementary budget it increased by €2.5 million and is still €1.5 million short. This is an increase of €4 million in total," Oja said.

"The hike in construction cost is not the result of poor planning but what is happening on the construction market," he added.

Two years from now, the Tallinn City Theater is expected to start performing in its new home. "The theater should open for the 2024/2025 season, although the venue must be handed over much earlier because it also serves as a rehearsal space for new productions. So it is hoped that the construction can be completed and the building handed over by the end of 2023," Oja said.

Oja said that the talks with the Ministry of Culture on the subject are ongoing. "It is rather unusual for the state and the city to co-finance such an institution; we should be thankful to Jüri Ratas (then prime minister - ed.) for this. Hopefully, we continue this cooperation with the government."

The cornerstone for the Tallinn City Theater's new building complex was laid last February. This expansion is increasing the theater's capacity by 620 seats.

The development project includes the construction of a new block between Lai and Aida streets, as well as the extension of Põrgulava, the main stage of the theater.

In total two new buildings will be erected and the existing ones will be refurbished adhering to heritage preservation regulations to create a complete complex of two courtyards.

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