The Local Democracy Reporting Service says Rotheram believes a cyber Beatles showcase could be major attraction with an arena similar to the Abba Arena, the purpose-built venue in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.
He said: “We could have an immersive experience so people would flock in to see them. It means the footfall would increase exponentially, it means that this would be an international destination of choice.
“You’d go here and then perhaps go to London, whereas currently a lot of people go to London and sometimes jump on a train to come here, so we want to change that dynamic and I think this will be one of the ways in which we do it,” Rotheram said.
He said the introduction of the tourist tax would also go a long way towards supporting major events that the city can host, like the hugely successful Eurovision Song Contest in 2023.
Abba’s £140m London show, which features digital depictions of the group as they appeared in 1979, known as Abbatars, is accompanied by a 10-piece live band.