Gateshead council was told by Sage Gateshead officials the music venue should have a new name by September 2022.
Abigail Pogson, managing director of Sage Gateshead, told the council work is underway to find “the right name for now and for the future.”
The venue has to change its name after it was announced earlier this year that the £300m NewcastleGateshead Quays development will be named The Sage.
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The project will see the construction of an arena, exhibition and conference centre, and two new hotels. On the development Ms Pogson told the council: “We think when we have that site developed what we will have here is an absolutely unique campus when you look at all the component parts that are going to be on Gateshead quay.
“I think it’s a testament to Baltic and the Sage Gateshead that that kind of ambition can lead to regeneration and can lead to the development of a place that this project is continuing to develop.”
Gateshead council was reassured there would be “no pre-occupations” and there is “nothing off the table” with the renaming. Public consultations will begin soon after the Jubilee weekend, followed by focus groups, and then targeted group events.
“By July we will have a sense of where we are heading with this, we plan to announce a name in September and by the start of next year we should have all the new assets that represent the new name and the new identity”, said Ms Pogson.
Councillors were also quick to be reassured that although the public would be consulted and asked their views about the name, it would not be subject to a public vote.
“No Sagey McSageface” as Ms Pogson put it.
Coun Ron Beadle said: “We need something aspirational, that captures the work we’ve done. It’s amazing its coming up to twenty years. It doesn't seem like that, I think we all take enormous pride in the work that you do.”
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