Stadium scores mayor’s support
Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says a new stadium is a priority for the city and favours expediting work.
Her comments come after Crusaders rugby coach Scott Robertson questioned why Christchurch is still waiting for a new venue. Fans attending last weekend’s Super Rugby fixture at AMI Stadium were forced to scramble for shelter when an unexpected hail storm hit.
Rugby games and concerts have been held at the temporary Addington ground since 2012. It was once hoped Christchurch would have a new stadium in time for last year’s British and Irish Lions tour.
Yesterday, Dalziel said she saw a new stadium, officially labelled a multi-use arena, as a priority for the city.
‘‘Having looked at some of the submissions that have come in on our LTP (long-term plan), we’ve had quite a few that have asked for . . . the stadium to be brought forward in terms of its funding,’’ she said.
‘‘My view is that the LTP provides us with process whereby we as a council could consider bringing it forward, which I have to say I’m tending to favour.’’
The council will adopt its final LTP at the end of June. Council money is already earmarked for the project, with $253 million on budget between 2022-23 and 2024-25.
A pre-feasibility study released by the Christchurch Stadium Trust last year recommended a $496m multi-use arena with a full roof and a retractable playing field.
The Labour-led Government has also indicated it could fork out for the project – a new stadium could receive funding from a mooted $300m fund for Christchurch, which is currently a Government budget bid.
‘‘But of course then the Government’s got its own time frame for the [$300m] capital acceleration fund, which is going through a budget process,’’ Dalziel said.
‘‘But the first thing that we have to do is the business case and that is something that I very much want us to progress quickly, because that would give us the ability to make some decisions about what the stadium would look like.’’
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods is still considering whether to combine a new stadium with another stalled Christchurch anchor project – the $300m metro sports facility.
The future of that project has been uncertain after a $75m budget blowout saw Woods axe a deal with preferred contractor Leighs Cockram Joint Venture.
A recent review by KPMG found ‘‘clear demand’’ for a new arena and metro sports facility as separate standalone facilities.
The Press understands a decision on the metro sport facility’s future is due either later this week or early next week.
Dalziel said in her view a stadium with a roof ‘‘has to be a given’’.
‘‘I can understand completely how [Robertson], and I’m sure thousands of others, felt on Saturday when an unexpected hail storm completely ruined what would’ve been otherwise a fantastic night out. If you’d held a referendum on the night, everyone would have said ‘we’ll have the roof’.’’
Robertson said a new stadium was ‘‘too good an opportunity’’ for Christchurch to miss.
‘‘Right now we have the chance to do something special. It is a decision that should be made for now. Money will work itself out over a long period of time,’’ he said.
The temporary AMI Stadium was originally designed to last five years from 2012 to 2017.
The council recently granted building consent for $1m of additional work to extend its life to
2022, and the Christchurch Stadium Trust, which owns the temporary facility, has a budget of
$500,000 for annual maintenance.