Can Studio 100 make its new 1,544-seat pop-up theatre work in Hofstade?
Zemst has granted Studio 100 an environmental permit for a 1,544-seat temporary theatre at the Sport Vlaanderen domain in Hofstade, subject to conditions covering noise, traffic, parking and summer performances. The approval revives the company’s large-scale Flemish musical model after its former venue in Puurs closed in 2025.
The permit gives Studio 100 another route to produce large musicals in Flanders after rising costs forced its Puurs venue to close. For ticket buyers it restores a dedicated large-capacity venue; for nearby households and domain users it introduces potentially 450 to 550 cars per regular performance; and for hospitality businesses it may bring additional restaurant and overnight spending.
The municipality of granted Studio 100 an environmental permit on 11 August for a temporary 1,544-seat theatre at the , clearing a major regulatory hurdle for performances planned from spring 2027. The approval comes with binding conditions: Studio 100 must respect Flemish environmental noise limits, help manage traffic around the N227-N267 junction and refrain from scheduling weekend matinees in June, July and August, when the recreation domain and nearby already generate heavier visitor flows.
The theatre will occupy a grassed area beside Parking D, near the domain’s main entrance on the Tervuursesteenweg. According to ’s project information, the principal structure will measure about 110 by 50 metres, with a free height of 13 metres, while a separate backstage area will measure 25 by 40 metres. It will be a demountable tent-style construction with fixed walls and a fixed auditorium rather than the moving stands used at Studio 100’s former venue in .
That distinction is commercially important. Studio 100 is not simply transferring its old theatre to another municipality; it is adapting a capital-intensive production model after the economics of the site became increasingly difficult. reported that the previous pop-up theatre attracted about 2 million visits over seven years before closing in June 2025. Studio 100 chief executive Anja Van Mensel said at the time that operating costs had risen faster than income and that renewing the venue’s permit would have required substantial fire-safety investment.
therefore represents a more measured attempt to preserve large-scale musical production in a relatively small Dutch-language market. The new venue will have 1,544 seats and is expected to operate for roughly two years, according to . Its fixed seating removes one of the defining technical features of , but may also simplify the installation and operation. Studio 100 has not publicly disclosed the project’s construction budget, lease terms, expected occupancy rate or break-even ticket sales, so the financial case cannot yet be tested independently.
The company enters the project from a position of scale. , registered under Belgian enterprise number BE 0457.622.640, reported revenue of approximately €107.2 million in 2024, 19% above the previous year’s €90.3 million, according to company information derived from filings at the National Bank of Belgium. The entity employed an average of about 175 full-time equivalents. Those figures concern Studio 100 NV rather than the economics of this theatre alone, but they underline that the applicant is a substantial Flemish media and entertainment business rather than a stand-alone local producer.
For households, the immediate consequences are practical. A regular sold-out performance could draw several hundred cars into an area already used by swimmers, athletes, walkers and families visiting the recreation domain. estimates that an audience of around 1,500 would produce approximately 450 to 550 cars, based on its experience of roughly 3.3 occupants per vehicle in . Visitors will be directed to Parking D when space is available, while a separate temporary car park is planned for cast and crew.
The permit requires changes to the traffic-light plan at the junction of the N227 and N267, in consultation with the Flemish Roads and Traffic Agency. Studio 100 must monitor mobility during operations, and will convene an evaluation with public authorities and transport operator three months after opening. Additional measures may follow if congestion exceeds expectations. The summer matinee restriction is another safeguard: no weekend afternoon performances may be held in June, July or August. Studio 100’s current schedule also leaves longer gaps from 17 July to 17 August 2027 and from 26 June to 21 August 2028, the municipality says.
For nearby businesses, the opportunity is real but should not be overstated. plans a consultation with local hospitality operators about capturing visitor spending. The precedent from suggests that restaurants and accommodation providers can benefit: spoke to a nearby hotel operator who had offered theatre packages and sometimes filled all 17 rooms with musical visitors. Yet ’s location, audience travel patterns and performance calendar differ, and no estimate has been published for local spending or employment.
The municipality and present the theatre as complementary to the domain’s sporting and recreational functions. For residents and regular users, the more cautious view is that a commercial venue on publicly managed leisure grounds must prove it can coexist with existing traffic, parking and environmental needs. The permit conditions acknowledge those concerns, but their effectiveness will only become clear once performances begin. Third parties also retain the right to challenge the permit within the applicable appeal period after formal notification or posting of the decision.
Studio 100 has already identified the first production: “Hallo Radio 2!”, developed with VRT’s Radio 2, is scheduled to premiere on 21 March 2027. Before then, the company must complete the venue design, construction and operational preparations while meeting the permit requirements. The main questions now are whether an appeal will be lodged, when construction will start, what the project will cost and whether ticket demand can support a 1,544-seat theatre without recreating the cost pressures that ended the chapter.
Impact
Regional — Hofstade and the wider Zemst area could gain visitor spending and cultural activity, while facing extra pressure on roads and parking near a busy recreation domain and ZOO Planckendael. The permit couples the project to a three-month mobility review and consultation with local hospitality operators.
Local — Hofstade and the wider Zemst area may gain theatre-related spending at restaurants and accommodation providers, alongside additional cultural activity. The main local burden is transport: Sport Vlaanderen estimates 450 to 550 cars for a regular performance, near a recreation domain and ZOO Planckendael that already draw visitors. Weekend matinees are prohibited during June, July and August. Zemst also requires a mobility review three months after opening and consultation involving public transport and local hospitality stakeholders.
What it means for you
Prospective ticket buyers regain access to a dedicated large-capacity venue for Studio 100 musicals, but should check performance times and transport arrangements before booking. Weekend matinees will not be available in June, July or August. Drivers should anticipate concentrated traffic and parking demand around the Hofstade domain, with 450 to 550 cars expected for a regular show. Visitors coming from Brussels should monitor any travel guidance from Studio 100, Sport Vlaanderen and De Lijn. Nearby residents and regular domain users should watch the mobility evaluation due three months after opening for possible operational changes.
Opposing perspectives
- Studio 100 and Sport Vlaanderen
The project’s promoters regard Hofstade as a workable successor to Puurs because the domain offers space, several transport options and parking without displacing an existing sporting function. They argue that a demountable structure can add cultural programming and introduce new visitors to the recreation domain.
- Zemst municipal authorities
The municipality supports the theatre as an addition to local cultural and economic activity, but its permit conditions show that approval is conditional rather than unqualified. Zemst requires noise compliance, traffic-light changes, summer scheduling limits and a mobility review after three months.
- Nearby residents and regular domain users
Households, commuters and daytime visitors have an interest in ensuring that commercial performances do not worsen congestion, consume scarce parking or create unacceptable noise. The permit addresses those risks prospectively, but residents may judge the safeguards only once real traffic and sound measurements become available.
- Local hospitality businesses
Restaurants and accommodation providers may see a new evening audience as a source of turnover. Experience in Puurs indicates that theatre packages can attract overnight guests, although no independent forecast establishes how much spending Hofstade businesses will capture.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
Region where Studio 100 is seeking to continue its large-scale Flemish musical model.
Province containing Hofstade and Zemst.
Zemst locality where the temporary theatre is planned.
Municipality that granted the environmental permit and imposed operating conditions.
Flemish government sports agency managing the Hofstade domain that will host the theatre.
Show the full library (14)
Zemst locality where the temporary theatre is planned.
Municipality that granted the environmental permit and imposed operating conditions.
Region where Studio 100 is seeking to continue its large-scale Flemish musical model.
Province containing Hofstade and Zemst.
Recreation site selected for the 1,544-seat temporary theatre.
Location of Studio 100’s former pop-up theatre, which closed in 2025.
Flemish government sports agency managing the Hofstade domain that will host the theatre.
Flemish media and entertainment company permitted to operate the temporary theatre.
Nearby visitor attraction whose traffic may overlap with theatre and recreation-domain traffic.
Flemish public transport operator required to participate in the post-opening mobility evaluation.
News outlet reporting on the permit approval.
Public-service news outlet covering the 2025 closure of the Puurs theatre.
Company-information service providing an overview of Studio 100 NV filings and revenue.
Studio 100 production listed for the Hofstade theatre by Sport Vlaanderen.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceHet NieuwsbladPrimaryprimary· nieuwsblad.be· 11 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 52 days ago· Dated
- View sourceMunicipality of Zemst — permit announcementofficial· zemst.be· 11 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 52 days ago· Dated
- View sourceMunicipality of Zemst — formal permit decisionofficial· zemst.consultatieomgeving.net· 11 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 52 days ago· Dated
- View sourceSport Vlaanderen — Studio 100 theatre FAQofficial· sport.vlaanderenRetrieved 25 August 2026
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This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.