The Otago Cricket Association will go back to the drawing board as it seeks to keep alive a $2.5 million plan to install floodlights at the University Oval.
OCA chief executive Ross Dykes yesterday told the Otago Daily Times a revised proposal would be prepared urgently and brought back to the Dunedin City Council by the end of April.
In the meantime, other potential funding partners, such as the University of Otago, would be considered in an effort to reduce the potential bill for ratepayers, he said.
That could yet lead to a reduced request for council funding, while progressing the project in time to secure an offer from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) of extra top-level cricket at the venue, he said.
However, any prolonged delay would cost the venue cricket fixtures in the years to come, he warned.
''I definitely think it is a risk. I still think there's time for us, if we can do our job right and get the right information in front of the council.
''But if there was going to be a significant delay of a year or so, then I think New Zealand Cricket would withdraw their offer.
''It'd be foolish to say we wouldn't get anything, but we wouldn't get the favoured nation treatment that we would get if we've got them.''
His comments came after councillors on Monday opted not to include $2 million for floodlights in the council's long-term plan (LTP) budget for the next decade.
The OCA had planned to borrow $2 million and fundraise another $500,000 to buy the floodlights if the council agreed to buy the lights over the following three years.
Councillors at Monday's meeting baulked at the idea, despite supporting the project's aims, and voted to include the project in the LTP as an unfunded item only.
Instead, they asked for more information, and the OCA to review its own financial contribution while considering other potential funding partners.
Mr Dykes said he was ''disappointed'' by aspects of the decision-making process, but encouraged the council still saw it as ''a worthwhile exercise''.
''I do believe we can get enough financial support of our own to satisfy the council.''
The OCA board would meet tomorrow to consider its position, and needed to listen to the council's concerns.
However, some form of financial contribution would be needed from the council if the lights project was to proceed, he said.
While the university ''could be, and perhaps should be'' approached for a contribution, he could not say whether NZC or Sky Television would be as well.
While those parties all stood to benefit from the installation of lights at the venue, so did the city's economy, ''significantly'', he said.
Broadcasting revenue was already helping fund the sport's grassroots, and NZC's offer of a ''binding commitment'' to international cricket in Dunedin was ''a pretty big contribution for them'', he said.
''I think, quite frankly, the offer from New Zealand Cricket is just too good an opportunity to turn down.
''If we don't take it now, a Tauranga, a Nelson, a Hamilton ... and certainly Christchurch, will beat us to the punch.''
