New York, New York - Following years of planning and delays, the new Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC) on the One World Trade Center site in New York City is scheduled to open in September.

Kicking off with five days of concerts, the PAC will first open its doors at the site known as Ground Zero on September 19, the operators recently announced.

The program of the inaugural season will include a play by and starring Laurence Fishburne as well as a production of Cats.

The performing arts center was part of the master plan developed by star architect Daniel Libeskind to reconstruct Ground Zero, as the site where the World Trade Center used to stand, following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Originally, Libeskind's colleague Frank Gehry was supposed to build the center, but following repeated delays and money difficulties, the plan was put on the back burner.

The building was eventually completed for a total cost of some $500 million with the help of donations from billionaires Ronald Perelman and Michael Bloomberg, a former NYC mayor.

Bloomberg has also taken over as chair of the board from singer Barbra Streisand.