The idea of retaining Carisbrook for use as a sporting venue - or other ideas for the ground's future - could yet be considered, Cr John Bezett says.
Cr Bezett was speaking at yesterday's council finance and strategy meeting, as councillors considered a report recommending a shortlist of three options for Carisbrook's future to be examined in more detail.
Those options were to either sell the land for industrial development or as a retirement village, or develop it as an industrial park - possibly as part of a public-private partnership.
The shortlist was labelled a "missed opportunity" last week by Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble, who argued the ground should become a multiuse, multisport complex for sport from club rugby to football and secondary school sport.
However, Cr Bezett yesterday said the shortlist would not stop the new council - formed after the October 9 election - from adding other options to the discussion about the ground's future use.
"In my view, a new council can look at further options," he told his council colleagues yesterday.
Council chief executive Jim Harland agreed, saying new councillors could instruct council staff to consider other options, but the shortlist would allow staff to begin detailed work on the three options identified in the meantime.
Time was pressing because, from October 1 next year, the Otago Rugby Football Union would vacate Carisbrook and the council would begin to incur holding costs of about $440,000 a year.
However, 35 submissions gathered during initial consultation had identified 18 options, with seven - the largest grouping - wanting to keep the ground as a multi-use, multisport facility and sports hub for South Dunedin.
Cr Paul Hudson said yesterday it was important "those voices continue to be heard".
"I think the community may have other aspects of it they want further input into."
Deputy mayor Syd Brown said indicative costs were for about $1.1 million a year to run a multisport venue at Carisbrook.
"That's about a 1.5% rates increase and that's an indicative cost ... it's not going to come down - it's more than likely going to go up.
Somehow, we need to get that out to the community, that the cost is quite an imposition on future ratepayers, if we go down there."
Mayor Peter Chin said the council would be criticised "whatever option is ultimately going to be chosen", but believed more detailed information about the costs of each alternative option should be presented.
Councillors voted to accept the shortlist of three possible uses, to be considered by the incoming council during the 2011-12 annual plan process, with further public consultation to follow.
A report on the future demand for recreational and sporting facilities in South Dunedin would also be prepared in time for initial annual plan meetings, after Cr Dave Cull argued more information was needed.
