But this week the Glasshouse celebrates another milestone: its 10^th birthday.

Since it opened in 2009 it has grown into a hub of culture and entertainment, boasting a 594-seat theatre, performance and art studio, gallery, Visitor Information Centre, shop and theatre bar.

Each year more than 250,000 people visit the Glasshouse.

Mayor Peta Pinson acknowledges its "controversial beginnings" but insists the public has come to love the Glasshouse.

"It had controversial beginnings - we admit it - but the thing is that it has become so iconic for Port Macquarie," Cr Pinson said.

"The economic advantages it creates for us are huge.

"It is part of our landscape now."

According to the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, the Glasshouse contributes $15.8 million every year to Port Macquarie-Hastings Gross Regional Product.

Glasshouse volunteer Cate Brand said the reaction from the public is generally positive.

"The response I get about the Glasshouse is that people love it and they love having the information centre there as well," she said.

Hastings Choristers Vice President Dr Colleen Smee shares a similar sentiment.

The singing group recently hired the Glasshouse for a choral weekend culminating in a performance of The Peacemakers by Karl Jenkins.

"Fifty per cent of people participating in the choral weekend came from outside the Hastings area and raved about how beautiful the Glasshouse Theatre was and how convenient it was being situated in the middle of town," Dr Smee said.

During the interval one fellow theatre lover even told Dr Smee that she and her husband would never have moved to Port Macquarie if it wasn't for the Glasshouse.

Not everyone is as enthused.

The Port Macquarie and District Eisteddfod Society Dance Director Wendy Stewart described the cost of hiring the Glasshouse as "exorbitant".

"The Glasshouse is a beautiful building and the staff are very professional which provides an amazing performance experience," Mrs Stewart said.

"But it is underutilised by community groups when it is not being used by commercial hirers which all comes down to hire costs."

A spokesperson for the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council said council provides "significant financial support each year to a wide range of community groups associated with their use of the Glasshouse", but admitted council was looking to "increase utilisation of the venue..."

Council is currently reviewing the Glasshouse Strategic Plan.

The Port Macquarie-Hastings Council might be the first council sacked over a theatre.

Few can forget the uproar the Glasshouse caused.

A full public inquiry in 2007 by the then Minister for Local Government Paul Lynch resulted in the council and its Mayor Rob Drew being dismissed and an administrator initially appointed for four years.

Current deputy mayor Lisa Intemann led the opposition to the Glasshouse.

She doesn't shy away from her role.

"I campaigned against blowout costs and mismanagement, and events behind the scenes that no reasonable person could ignore," Cr Intemann maintains.

She said the financial problems were impossible to ignore.

"I wanted a new Cultural Centre but construction estimates blew out from around $14 million in 2004 to over three times that much by 2006, final cost $53 million with no proper community consultation, feasibility study, or seriously considering alternative locations," Cr Intemann said.

While she is now supportive of the Glasshouse, Cr Intemann believes the community is still paying heavily for past sins.

"I just wish the NSW government had acted quicker with the Inquiry, because the delay left council with an unaffordable construction contract that used up two special rate increases.

"After accounting for $2 million in annual income, the Glasshouse presently costs the community around $4.5 million per year in operating deficit, loan interest and capital repayment (not counting depreciation)," Cr Intemann said.

A spokesperson for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council said council provides about $2 million in funding towards the Glasshouse each year to support the "operation of the venue and delivery of a range of high quality cultural, community and commercial activities to the community".

"Council funds many other community services in the same way, including approximately $2.6 million each year towards the delivery of library services," the spokesperson said.

"Ten years on, the debt has been reduced by over half to $17.5 m with loans expected to be repaid by 2027."

Former councillor Jamie Harrison has a different interpretation of the financial cost to the community.

While reluctant to dredge up old wounds, Mr Harrison said other infrastructure projects have suffered as a result of the Glasshouse financial blowout.

"It left us without a council for four years, it left us without direct community leadership and that has left us trying to play catch up, with other important infrastructure and planning," Mr Harrison said.

"Think link roads and the aquatic centre.."

And there are still mutterings about the location.

Former Director of Corporate and Community Services for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Annie Quadroy describes the Glasshouse as "fabulous" but maintains the location was a mistake.

"I still think it is on the wrong site, partly because it is a constrained site so expansion is not possible and also because it is taking up very valuable commercial space in the CBD which itself is constrained," she said.

On the streets of Port Macquarie most people did not want to relive the "Glasshouse debacle" as one person labelled it.

But new resident Samantha was happy to have a chat.

"I do like coming to shows at the Glasshouse," she said.

"It employs people in Port Macquarie so that is a good thing and it brings some great comedians as well."