'Fast-tracked' business case for the Christchurch stadium won't go to Government until mid-2019
Sunday, 20 January 2019
'Fast-tracked' planning for Christchurch's long-awaited multi-use stadium is not expected to go before the Government until the middle of the year.
The Christchurch City Council has been working on an investment case for the stadium, planned for the central city in a block of land bounded by Madras, Barbadoes, Hereford and Tuam streets, since it was given the go ahead last April.
Preliminary work, released in a council report last September, estimated build costs ranging from $384 million to $561m, with a preferred option sitting at $470m. There is currently $473m of funding earmarked for the build.
Council citizen and community general manager Mary Richardson said the investment case was being carried out 'in a relatively tight timeframe', with work under way 'in earnest' since it was fast-tracked.
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She said the council had gathered 'a large amount of technical and site information', and ideas from groups that would use the facility would be sought in January and February.
Richardson said the investment case aimed to 'establish baseline concepts' for the stadium, narrow cost estimates, and help get a better indication of revenue potential and running costs.
When asked whether Eden Park's financial woes would have any impact in the investment case, Richardson said the team would 'consider any relevant scenarios and take them into account'. She did not comment further.
When asked whether the estimated losses from the 2017 pre-feasibility study done matched the findings of the investment case, Richardson said work on relevant capital and running cost estimates was still under way, and the findings would depend on technical work being completed now.
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods said the Government had 'always been very clear that the numbers need to stack up and we need a high degree of confidence that what we are building is fit for purpose'.
'While we know the people of Christchurch are keen to see the arena up and running, it's also important we take the necessary time to get it right.'
Sport Canterbury chief executive Julyan Falloon said the upcoming stakeholder meetings would be a chance to help develop a functional stadium.
There needed to be input from spectators and elite athletes who had played in stadiums around the world, he said.
The multi-use element of the facility would help ensure Christchurch's stadium did not face the same problems as Auckland's Eden Park.
'It's all very well to focus on the bricks and mortar … the business case needs to really dig deep into the long-term viability and commercial sustainability of the facility.
'It's very easy just to jump to a 30,000 plus 5000 [spectator] covered stadium, but what is going to be used for, how adaptable and flexible is it for other uses, which will drive the commercial revenue.'
The council has committed $253m to the stadium over several years in its long-term plan.
The Government has earmarked $220m out of the $300m Christchurch Regeneration Acceleration Facility for the stadium, subject to investment case approval. It has also spent about $90m buying land.
The stadium is expected to be a covered facility able to hold both major sporting and entertainment events and seat at least 25,000 people.
Ground testing of the site was undertaken late last year, with nothing problematic found on the site.
There are plans to use the site as a 582-space Wilson car park in the short-term.