50,000 at stadium in record biggest week

Colvin: I agree about the fundraising. We're still waiting for the rugby community to start raising the money they promised. They started by offering us Carisbrook for free to sell to help pay for it, then they took it back and made us over pay them $7m for it. Then they promised to raise $45m in 'private fundraising' but never raised a cent .... we're still waiting.

As far as ticket prices are concerned, if any group - rugby or any other - is not prepared to at least pay the break even costs of their use of the stadium then let's pass on letting them use it. I think that rugby fans are capable of paying their way, I don't think they are as lazy and cheap as you suggest, just used to a sense of entitlement that makes them think that we owe them a living.

The solution is simple - just do what they do in the US have Sky black out local games that haven't sold out. Sky has the technology - all it would take would be for the NZRFU to grow a pair next time they negotiate.

We get called anti-stadium people but all we wanted was what was first promoted - a stadium for those who'd enjoy it, that wouldn't be a burden on the ratepayers.  And you have said it perfectly: "It's never too late to fundraise. There's enough bright people in Dunedin to find a solution and reduce the burden on the city, afterall Dunedin is a university town..... Frankly, I believe some form of public ownership through possibly the stockmarket, the rugby and other clubs, the original founders, using the brand building of the Highlanders and the marketing income that complete package could attract." 
Exactly!  It's only because this has been not forthcoming - not so much as a sausage sizzle - that people like Mike keep pushing the alternative i.e. that users of it should pay the true cost, no ratepayer subsidies, no bull-dust.

Claret: the library's not competing with some private library using ratepayer's money I don't understand your comparison with the for-profit rugby stadium. Those 30,000 going to the rugby stadium are paying the city only a few of dollars each to DVML to get in. If Hoyts discover that they can't pay their mortgage what do they do? They don't nip up the street and shake down a few ratepayers - they do what any other business does, they put up their prices until they are earning more than they are paying out.

This is the mistake the ORFU never learned, and it's why they almost went bankrupt. You have to charge more for your tickets than what it costs to run your ground - it's a lesson that DVML needs to learn. Now that you are in a brand spanking new rugby stadium and the city paid off the ORFU's debt and bought the Carisbrook millstone from around their necks at an inflated price do you really think it costs the city the same amount to put on a rugby game as it did when the ORFU was losing money on each one? Of course not - you need to be paying twice what you were when you were losing money for using those crappy old premises. This is simple economics, business 101 - not a stupid idea. [Abridged]

Well, whatever anyone's views are relating to the existence of the stadium it would seem obvious that the stadium has permanently changed the lives of the majority of Dunedin's population for the better by offering a first class arena for world class events.  51,000 people attending 11 events in one week is exceptional and credit must be given to those who made this happen.

Nothwithstanding this success, it doesn't take away from the fact that the original sourcing efforts to raise the funds needed to construct the stadium did not produce the capital required.

It's never too late to fundraise. There's enough bright people in Dunedin to find a solution and reduce the burden on the city, afterall Dunedin is a university town. Closing the stadium is not an option; neither is, I'm sorry to say Mike, the idea of raising ticket prices to higher than the market will bear.

Frankly, I believe some form of public ownership through possibly the stockmarket, the rugby and other clubs, the original founders, using the brand building of the Highlanders and the marketing income that complete package could attract. But then I'm an optimist. Challenges are there to be overcome.

Digger: "Many-probably most- of those going are not paying for
entrance fees".  Really? So most of the 30-odd thousand going to the rugby and league games will be getting in for free? Mate, you're dreaming.

MikeStK: Great. Lets run, say, the library under your proposed cost model.  If it isn't making money charge the library's users at least as much as it actually costs for them to use it, including overheads.  Yeah, stupid idea, isn't it?   

Pretty sad you two cant just say: "Hey, well done for the week - how about keeping it going?" [Abridged]

Most of those attending are not paying? Not this nonsense again. Where are these free tickets coming from? Get me some now! Pretty sure 5500 students did attend Macklemore for free. [Abridged]

Almost all of these people will be paying customers. Lets stick to the facts and not comment unless we have them.

Digger: I agree. This is just more spin - it must be election year. Really the only question that's important isn't "how many people went to the stadium this week?" -  it's "did it break even for the year?" if the ratepayers are still subsidising it's existence it doesn't deserve to be open - it's a for-profit entertainment business competing with other private businesses (like Hoyts, Rialto etc) that don't receive public subsidies like rates relief orthe ratepayers being forced to cover their losses.

And if it isn't making money there's a simple solution - charge the rugby stadium's users at least as much as it actually costs for them to use it, including overheads - so lets see those rugby tickets increase so that DVML gets more that just a few dollars a head per game.

One busy week for the stadium doesn't make it a success. Many-probably most- of those going are not paying for entrance fees- like with the students for Orientation Week. We also don't know what the stadium gains from hiring out the stadium (if anything) or the percentage of gate takings. The stadium continues to bleed the city financially whatever 'feel good' DVML puts on it.

This is basically promotional spin from DVML and the ODT has kindly printed it. 

But no, it's a white elephant, cry the DAPL.