24 December 2008
Hon Bill English
MP for Clutha/Southland
Minister of Finance, Minister for Infrastructure
Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Leader
Parliament Buildings
Molesworth Street
Wellington 6160
Dear Mr English
We, the Mayors of the Otago/Southland region, are writing to provide our full support to the approach made to you by the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Regional Council for Government funding assistance for the proposed new stadium at Awatea Street in Dunedin. We are of the collective view that this project will add significantly to the opportunities of the citizens of our region not only from a recreational, sporting and multi-purpose entertainment perspective, but also from the point of view of keeping the building industry in our community in a viable condition during uncertain economic times.
Including the Mayor of Waitaki, the only new mayor from the last election, we have all been involved in this project from the early days when the Carisbrook Stadium Trust prepared their initial feasibility work. We have been kept informed through regular updates at the Zone 6 meetings convened by Local Government New Zealand and have endorsed the regional benefits of this project from the outset.
We appreciate the Government has many priorities before it, but are of the view that this asset will create a new iconic facility for our broader region and provide the children and grandchildren of the two regions with an asset that they will be truly proud of.
If there is any further information you need from any of us, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely
Tim Shadbolt
Mayor, Invercargill City
Frana Cardno
Mayor, Southland District Council
Tracy Hicks
Mayor, Gore District Council
Clive Geddes
Mayor, Queenstown-Lakes District Council
Dr Malcolm Macpherson
Mayor, Central Otago District Council
Juno Hayes
Mayor, Clutha District Council
Alex Familton
Mayor, Waitaki District Council
