Otago cricket will not be looking for any financial assistance from the city coffers and is hoping to have lights up within 18 months.
The Otago Cricket Association revealed bold plans on Wednesday to upgrade the University Oval, putting up lights and increasing the ground's capacity by 2000.
The extra capacity would be done by extending the ground's embankment, which would result in the ground moving out across Logan Park Dr.
The improved facility would hopefully lead to more tests against top-class countries such as India and Australia.
Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes said yesterday he did not expect any money from the Dunedin City Council for the upgrade.
The association had only gone to the council's annual plan hearings this week as it felt the council should be informed, as it was going to impact on Logan Park, a council facility.
The bulk of the cost of the upgrade would be for the erection of four light towers, which would cost about $2 million.
''We have made a few tentative inquiries and have spoken to a few groups who have said in principle they will support us,'' he said.
''But they probably need something a little more solid to see in front of them before they will make a firmer commitment.''
Dykes said such funders were New Zealand Cricket, the Cricket Foundation and other sporting trusts. Other funding outlets could be the Community Trust of Otago, and the Lotteries Commission.
Nothing would be done until the World Cup was finished at the venue at the end of February next year.
''Clearly we can't get anything done until after World Cup. We could get started straight after that and hopefully if everything goes to plan we can get it up and ready to go at the start of 2015-16 season. But that is being optimistic.
''We want to retain our place as the premier cricket venue in the South Island. We want to stay ahead of Christchurch, which is a wee away from getting full under way.
"That is not being disrespectful to Christchurch but we just want to get some games here and become the No 1 choice.''
The lights will be on 40m pylons and will have to be the same power and brightness as rugby grounds.
The association would not have to apply for consents to get the lights.
The temporary lights used last year for a couple of matches early in the season, did not suit and were not of a high enough quality, Dykes said.
