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.

Media Release, Scoop, 28 Oct 2008

The Otago Stadium - Coming To A Town Near You

The Otago Stadium is coming to a town near you, with representatives touring Otago during November to meet the community and provide an update on the new multipurpose, fully roofed Stadium for the South of the Waitaki….

Events will be held on the following dates and locations:
• Oamaru, 3 November, Waitaki Boys’ High School Auditorium
• Wanaka, 4 November, Wanaka Centre
• Alexandra, 5 November, The Cellar Door Restaurant
• Balclutha, 10 November, South Otago Town and Country Club
• Roxburgh, 11 November, Memorial Hall
• Queenstown, 12 November, Queenstown Memorial Hall.

For each event, doors open at 6:30pm and presentations begin at 7:00pm. The format is: a welcome by local dignitary, presentations from the Otago Stadium representatives followed by a question and answer session. Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the event.

» Read more…

Otago Daily Times, 1 Nov 2008

A call for subcontractors and suppliers for the Otago Stadium has resulted in registrations of interest from 450 firms.

Stadium development director Darren Burden described the response as “excellent”.

“It has been particularly pleasing to receive 135 registrations from south of the Waitaki, given this is a regional development project. The balance of registrations are from the rest of New Zealand and overseas.”

» Read more…

Otago Daily Times, 31 Oct 2008

The long-awaited, much-debated stadium survey developed by two University of Otago academics will be sent to 5000 randomly selected Dunedin homes by November 17.

University school of business lecturer Dr John Williams said yesterday the $7000 needed for the survey had been raised, despite both the Dunedin city and Otago regional councils refusing to help fund it….

Dr John Williams and Dr Ben Wooliscroft said in a press release they were concerned about the quality of previous surveys into attitudes regarding the Otago Stadium, and had offered to undertake “neutral” research into whether or not the citizens of Dunedin supported the public funding of the stadium.

“As teachers of research methods, we had used previous stadium research as examples in our lectures, highlighting their flaws.”…

Dr Williams said the research was being done “in an open and publicly accountable manner”, and the pair had actively sought input from both sides of the debate in an effort to reduce any element of bias….

The figure of 5000 surveys should mean at least 1000 were returned, which would give a result with a reasonable margin of error….

The results of the survey would be made available on the website www.stadium.survey.otago.ac.nz, which would include raw data collected

» Read more…

DScene, 24 Oct 2008

From The Insider interview with David Benson-Pope by editor Ryan Keen:

Q. Your thoughts on the proposed $188-million indoor Otago Stadium and large whack of public capital needed to fund it?

A. The key question is not the cost of a stadium or a Carisbrook rebuild, the real issue is which part of the community pays. I have long argued that the structure of our rating system in Dunedin disadvantages lower-income people.

Otago Daily Times, 18 Oct 2008

Companies vying for the role of preferred contractor for Dunedin’s planned Otago Stadium project have been reduced to a shortlist of five….

Yesterday, trust development director Darren Burden said the five included a mixture of Dunedin and New Zealand companies.

» Read more…