Click photo to enlarge
David Davies
Plans for the plaza beside the Forsyth Barr Stadium are
being scaled up, after the University of Otago decided it
wanted the area to "make a statement".
The stadium complex - officially titled Forsyth Barr Stadium
at University Plaza - was always going to feature a plaza as
part of the stadium and university building development.
However, Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive David
Davies confirmed plans for the plaza were being redrawn by
the university to include a "superior" finish, rather than
the "standard" design.
That was because the university wanted the area to "make a
statement", Mr Davies told a Dunedin City Council finance and
strategy committee meeting this week.
The cost of the original plaza design - which, once
completed, was to be owned in common by the council and
university - was covered by the stadium's construction
budget, but not the additional cost of an upgraded plaza
design, he said.
Discussions between the university and council were
continuing over who "foots the bill" for the additional cost,
he told the meeting.
It was not known what would be included in the new plaza
design, or what it would cost, and university staff were not
prepared to discuss either yesterday.
University property services director Barry MacKay did not
return calls and a spokeswoman said it was not possible to
arrange an interview with him.
Mr MacKay later released a statement, saying only it was "too
early to comment, as the planning stage of the University
Plaza is still under way".
"When plans are finalised, we will be able to discuss
details."
However, Mr Davies told the Otago Daily Times it was expected
the university would meet all of the additional costs
involved.
"The university aspires to a better finish . . . There will
be a discussion about cost of superior finishing and how much
they are going to have to step up to the plate to make up the
shortfall.
"The university wants a better finish and therefore they are
going to have to pay for it," he said.
The original plaza design had been "suitably vague" to allow
room for changes once design plans for the university's
building were confirmed, which happened last December, he
said.
"They have got that about right and they are now working into
the plaza . . . It seems a logical way to do it," he said.
He had not seen any detailed designs, and did not know what
the plans included, but believed they were being worked on by
university staff.
Unveiling the university's design for its building at the
stadium site, vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg said it
would be "one of the most exciting developments on campus for
decades".
No precise budget for the building has been released, but the
university had earlier indicated the project might cost $50
million.
chris.morris@odt.co.nz
Retake that quote
Mr Davies says "The university wants a better finish and therefore they are going to have to pay for it," he said." How about the whole scenario on this farce way back should haved clearly been; "The DCC and (some of the) rugby fraternity want a new stadium and therefore they are going to have to pay for it".
Dumbfounded
I must admitt to being dumbfounded to read that the university wants to "make a statement" by spending vast quantities of money on its new plaza, to make it "superior" When did a university cease to become judged according to its ability to educate?
The University of Otago has already presented a tattered image to the world with the Toga Party fiasco. That was covered by the BBC. Lets hope this latest venture doesn't get picked up by the international press.
University's plaza spend-up
After recent concern about belt-tightening in education in general - including universities - and increased fees for students, it is heartening to see the University of Otago has managed its finances so well that plans for the plaza are now being redrawn by the university to include a "superior" finish, rather than the "standard" design, in order to "make a statement".
To many people, not least those students who work hard at vacation and term-time jobs as well as their studies so as not to end up with debts burdening them well into their 30s, making a statement may not seem a reasonable priority for use of funds.
No doubt young people like that will grow up to be visionless nay-sayers like those who opposed the city's gigantic spend-up on a second stadium.
Yet another stadium cost?
Do I detect another cost haemorrhage coming on? DVML confidently claim that the university will foot the bill for the 'upgraded' plaza development; the university refuses to takes calls on the subject.
Given that our right-wing government is taking the far-sighted step of removing ca. $500 million from the tertiary sector over the next three years (consequences of which can already be felt in the controversial merger of design departments), I rather think the university would be looking to pass the bill back to the local ratepayer.
Stadium seating
Since we now have another spokesperson (number 18?) speaking for the Stadium mess, perhaps David Davies will state in these columns how many fixed seats and how many temporary seats he is marketing to potential customers?