Stop the Stadium

Otago Daily Times Online, 6 Nov 2008

There was a positive tone at last night’s Otago Stadium Roadshow in Alexandra.

…Interest in the stadium in Dunedin was strong enough to draw more than 30 people to the meeting.

Russell Ibbotson asked why the stadium’s multi-use potential, which is featured in the roadshow, had not been publicised to the wider public.

Stadium commercial manager Guy Hedderlink [sic] said he was not supposed to spend the advertising budget in this way.

Jack Davis, of Cromwell, asked about the stadium’s acoustics and if they would shut out the noise of rain and wind.

Mr Hedderlink [sic] said that if it rained, the crowd would hear it just on the roof.

An acoustics expert said the acoustics were good and a public address system would work well in the stadium.

Rob Roy, of Alexandra, wanted to know about the roofing material to be used and if it had been used anywhere else in the world.

He was given a list of other users.

Mr Ibbotson asked if the project managers were confident the project could be delivered within the agreed financial parameters and Mr Hedderlink [sic] said he had absolute confidence, as the price of commodities had come down.

The roofing materials already had a fixed price and that was under budget and steel prices had also come down dramatically.

A single contractor would be used, so the risk would be with the contractor, he said.

Radio Dunedin, 3News, 4 Nov 2008

The marketing team behind the Otago Stadium project is taking its message on the road this month.

From Monday representatives will meet with community groups region wide, providing an update on the new multipurpose, fully roofed Stadium earmarked for Dunedin’s north….

Kicking off in Oamaru on Monday, community meetings will be held in Wanaka, Alexandra, and Balclutha, as well as Roxburgh, and Queenstown.

» Read more…

Otago Daily Times, 5 Nov 2008

SPONTANEOUS applause from Upper Clutha residents closed a slick and informative Otago Stadium roadshow presentation in Wanaka last night.

The reaction from the 35 people who attended the meeting at the Lake Wanaka Centre was positive, but none took the chance to publicly question the presenters of the travelling roadshow about the stadium’s direct benefits to the Wanaka region.

When asked by Carisbook [sic] Stadium Trust marketing consultant Don Hutchings whether they thought the Otago Stadium project was in good hands, the group responded with applause.

Wanaka Community Board chairman and Queenstown Lakes councillor Lyal Cocks welcomed Otago Stadium commercial manager Guy Hedderlink [sic] and spokesman Brian Meredith with the statement “Wanaka always turns out”.

But, for a town where residents usually come together for local community causes, the meeting lacked vocal support and a show of numbers.

Mr Cocks explained to those who arrived at the 7pm meeting on time that questions about ratings differentials for Queenstown Lakes residents, derived from QLDC funding for the stadium project, were an issue for the council to decide.

However, his community board and council colleagues Carrick Jones and John Wilson pressed the roadshow presenters to explain the stadium’s private funding and rating impact for Wanaka residents.

Mr Hedderlink [sic] said that the further people lived away from Dunedin, the less they would be likely to pay by way of rates.

Otago Daily Times, 17 Sep 2008, p. 3.

A retired High Court judge will head a new group looking after the interests of organisations funding the Awatea St stadium.

Justice John Hansen, of Christchurch, has the role of non-voting independent chairman of the stadium stakeholders group, which has representatives from the Dunedin City Council, Otago Regional Council, University of Otago and Carisbrook Stadium Trust.

The group put together the latest report on the trust’s work this week, and will do so in future, to provide what Dunedin deputy mayor Syd Brown said would be a more robust reporting system that would allow information to go through “unfettered”….

» Read more…