Chamber backs ratepayer investment
The Southland Chamber of Commerce board and management have taken the unusual approach of throwing its support behind extra ratepayer CBD funding despite waiting on a response from its members.
Invercargill Central Ltd – the organisation behind stages, 1, 2, and 3 of the city cluck development – has asked the Invercargill City Council for a further $16 million for the project, on top of the up to $30m the council had already committed.
The Southland Chamber of Commerce has started to survey its members on their views on the potential extra ratepayer spend, but the chamber board and management moved quickly on Friday to urge the council to commit the extra $16m.
Chamber chief executive Sheree Carey acknowledged it was unusual for the Chamber to make such a stand before its members had all spoken, but they felt was the right move.
She said early signs from the survey was that the business community was in fact supportive of the extra ratepayer investment.
Chamber president Neil McAra said it fully supported the preferred option of the council funding the shortfall to get the project across the line.
‘‘A functioning CBD is key to the enduring viability of our business community, as well as giving our city a sense of centrality,’’ he said.
The Chamber would still continue to gather the views of its members and also present them to the council.
Not having the CBD go ahead was not an option, McAra said.
The city block development would also play an important role in stimulating Invercargill’s economy throughout the build, McAra said.
He said with an estimated 500 workers in town for the project, some of which would be from out of town, it would help rebuild the hospitality and accommodation sectors which had been hit hard by Covid19.
He was mindful of how Covid-19 had affected perceptions of an investment in commercial spaces, but encouraged businesses to think long-term rather than the immediate situation.
‘‘We’re certainly sympathetic of how Covid-19 is affecting everything at the moment, but we need to make these important decisions now so that we’re positioning the region for growth, and investing in our CBD would support this.’’
The Chamber felt the build would bring numerous construction jobs to the region, and the resulting complex would attract new retailers and therefore more jobs for Southland.
Despite Covid-19 hanging over everyone, McAra encouraged people to be mindful that the previous
CBD’s infrastructure was an earthquake risk and was not a space that attracted potential businesses due to these safety concerns.
‘‘Covid-19 hasn’t made those health and safety concerns go away, and they were certainly off-putting for potential tenants.
‘‘It’s important we keep our eye on the ball and remember why we’re in need of this project – which is because we need a functional CBD for generations to come.’’