Stadium

The public will have a say over future uses of the Forsyth Barr Stadium, after a feisty Dunedin City Council meeting yesterday.

Stadium opponent Bev Butler feels vindicated, and is calling for councillors who supported it to resign, plus forensic audits and an independent inquiry.

A woman and her cat were escorted from the Forsyth Barr Stadium during the Highlanders v Hurricanes match on Saturday, after she carried the cat into the stadium in her bag, a spokeswoman for the venue said.

A busy week looms for Dunedin city councillors, who will today participate in a full council meeting, followed by at least three days of deliberating on the council's draft annual and long-term budgets, during which some big decisions must be made - in the light of bad news last week about Forsyth Barr Stadium finances.

Failings within the Dunedin City Council are to be scrutinised after an independent review criticised budget blowouts and unauthorised spending within the Forsyth Barr Stadium construction project.

The final cost of the Forsyth Barr Stadium has risen to $224 million, after independent auditors uncovered a budget blow-out of more than $8 million, it has been confirmed.

The final construction cost of Forsyth Barr Stadium is expected to be revealed this morning.

The Dunedin City Council says it will be forced to consider more funding to help the company running the Forsyth Barr Stadium overcome a nearly $2 million loss and debt-servicing costs it cannot afford to pay.

The size of the financial hole occupied by Dunedin Venues Management Ltd - the company tasked with running the Forsyth Barr Stadium - has been confirmed.

The size of the financial hole occupied by Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, the company tasked with running the Forsyth Barr Stadium, will be revealed later today.