ACT taxpayers have spent more than $1 million on the Westside shipping container village, with the government expecting visitor numbers to the Lake Burley Griffin site to top 100,000 over summer.
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Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Land Development Agency boss David Dawes told the Legislative Assembly this week the cost of the controversial temporary development had grown from $970,000 in September to more than $1 million, including for water and electricity upgrades to the site next to Commonwealth Avenue.
The government took control of the village in August from the Stromlo Stomping Grounds group, which had struggled with months of delays, criticism of the area's appeal and ongoing complaints from unpaid contractors.
Mr Dawes told a hearing at the Legislative Assembly that the government was preparing to recruit a manager or "place maker" for the precinct, designed to stay on site until permanent redevelopment was begun to activate use of the lakefront. The role would be subject to a competitive tender process.
The manager will co-ordinate events and work with businesses located in shipping containers at the village, and government contractors will continue to provide maintenance services. The territory is working with the National Capital Authority to improve signage and "visibility" of the village, which has struggled to attract visitors since opening.
Mr Barr said between 50,000 and 75,000 visitors had already been to Westside. He predicted summer and autumn events would attract significant crowds and said the village could host a live broadcast site for the cricket one day international match between Australia and India at Manuka Oval in January.
"It has certainly achieved a significant level of public interest and public attendance at events," he said on Thursday.
"And I imagine over the course of the summer we will tick over to 100,000 visitors through the venue, given the program of events that is in the pipeline and the range of other activities that are supported there on a weekly basis."
Mr Barr told the planning and environment committee that the Stromlo group had planned original visitor number goals but new targets would be set by bureaucrats in coming months.
Rough estimates from recent events were provided by Mr Barr's office: May's Art Not Apart festival in March attracted about 12,000 people and the National Capital Rally attracted about 10,000.
About 1000 people attended the Mad Hatters Pop Up Selfie Party in August and this month's AIDS Action Council Spring Out Pride Festival and Spring Carnival.
A spokesman for Mr Barr said the University of Canberra's graphic design students had rescheduled Friday night's planned pop-up night market event, with about 600 social media responses this week.
He said the weekly markets running since June attracted between 500 and 1000 people each Sunday, but attendance rose to about 4000 during Floriade.
Traders have previously expressed concern about poor promotion of the site and strict National Capital Authority rules banning new signs to promote attractions to Canberrans and interstate visitors. Revised rental rates for traders are being finalised.
As of September, the government had invested $944,821 in the village. A large sign facing northbound traffic and promoting the site as being run by the ACT government is expected to be removed.
