SYDNEY, Aug. 11(Xinhua) -- Australia's iconic Sydney Opera House is set to undergo its largest facelift since its inception in 1973, with wide scale renovations set to improve accessibility and acoustics.
"The Sydney Opera House is the symbol of modern Australia," New South Wales state deputy premier and arts minister Troy Grant said in a statement on Thursday.
"It is our responsibility as custodians of this extraordinary place to maintain and renew it for all Australians."
The iconic Sydney Opera House is Australia's premier tourist destination attracting 8.2 million visitors each year, worth over 775 million Australian dollars (597 million U.S. dollars) to the domestic economy.
Audiences however have consistently decried the venue's acoustics, failing to live up to the world-wide recognition of its iconic sail like structure.
The government will spend up to 202 million Australian dollars (155 million U.S. dollar) on the renovations, which include not only improving accessibility, but also the acoustics of its opera theater and concert hall.
"For the first time the Concert Hall will deliver the true ambitions of the original creators of this incredible building, and the real winners will be the audiences," Sydney Symphony Orchestra managing director Rory Jeffes said.
Authorities have pledged the sail like structure won't be affected.
"The Opera House, a masterpiece of human creative genius, belongs to us all and is central to our identity as Australians," Sydney Opera House chief executive Louise Herron said.
The upgrades will begin from mid-2017, but will be staged over a five-year period not to interrupt the ongoing performance schedule.
