Functions, free parks and 3-D

Free inner-city parking, a town hall function, an untested transport plan and games shown live in 3-D are some of the possibilities emerging for Dunedin during the Rugby World Cup.

More than 100 tourism, hospitality and transport representatives were given an update of tournament planning at a meeting in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery yesterday.

Dunedin City Council Rugby World Cup co-ordinator Debra Simes confirmed the council was investigating offering free covered car parks as part of its traffic management plan.

Council car park buildings could be offered free before and after games at the Forsyth Barr Stadium - to be known as Otago Stadium during the tournament - to alleviate traffic concerns.

"We will go into the tournament with an untested transport plan and that is because there will be no other prior event at the stadium to warrant such an extensive road closure."

The plan would include details about the transportation of teams, VIPs, media, guests of state, ticket-holders, pedestrians and public transport.

Otago Stadium would be promoted as a "walking stadium", with fans encouraged to drive into or take public transport to the centre city before walking to matches.

Two walking routes had been identified: the first from the Octagon, down lower Stuart St then along Anzac Ave to the stadium; the second from the Octagon along George St then into Albany St and to the stadium.

Each route was about 1.7km.

World cup banners, volunteers, street entertainers, recycling stations, and dozens of portaloos would line each route, with "key hubs" located at the Octagon, railway station, and the Hanover/Frederick Sts block of George St.

It was an important the city "get this right" to show it could run a large event to a national and international audience, she said.

The presence of the England team, which is based in Dunedin for 16 nights and plays three matches in the city, and its estimated 10,000 to 13,000 supporters, placed "considerable pressure" on the city's licensed premises, which had a capacity of just over 5000.

More than 2000 largely overseas rugby fans could be catered for in the Dunedin Town Hall at a pre- or post-match function, but "we want to complement what the private hospitality sector is doing", Ms Simes said.

Fans wanting to watch any of the final four World Cup games live in 3-D, could do so at the Edgar Centre and Regent Theatre in Dunedin, the Queenstown Events Centre, or at selected cinemas, it was confirmed yesterday.

3-D Live managing director Ronel Schodt told the Otago Daily Times the Forsyth Barr Stadium was considered an option but the venue was "too big" for the 18m high screens.

"The screens would look too small," she said.

Mrs Schodt said, apart from having tickets for the final at Eden Pack, the "second best thing was watching it in 3-D".

 


3-D details

• 3-D live rugby will be shown in eight New Zealand venues, including Dunedin's Edgar Centre (2700 capacity), Regent Theatre (1900) and Queenstown's Event Centre (1600), plus selected cinemas.
• Tickets will range in price from $40 to $109.90.
• 60,000 tickets will go on sale next week: 40,000 in New Zealand and 20,000 in Australia.
• Screens will range in size from 10m to 18m.
• Viewers will be given wraparound polarised glasses to watch the matches.
• Eight 3-D cameras will film each match.


hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz

 

 

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