DCC not swayed on stadium

…I feel another Tui ad coming on!
The “I want” and now “we will have” demand is the one coming from the frivolous “rugby/pro stadium already well and truly over-spoiled (think the multi-million Carisbrook upgrades circa 1999) and pandered to rugby fraternity, who seem to think nothing else matters. Their attitude appears to be “It’s only a few hundred million”, when there’s a swathe of far more constructive innovative projects that could be undertaken for a fraction of the cost. But rugby is apparently a pedestal elevated god, so forget those with some imagination! Instead, the predictable knee jerk of the stadium supporters, as always is to condescend these opposers with inferences like CAVEs. Well, if these people love their huge biscuit tins on the skyline, why don’t they move to a city with less character that has more of them, rather than one with heritage and other eye fodder that could easily be enhanced with such an amount of money?
And given the DCC's response, to final requests of democracy resulting from the meeting, all I can say is, if crass ignorance and arrogance was bliss, then Chin, Captain Farry & Co driving the Farrytanic project would all be in seventh heaven.
Those that are giving the warnings, would prefer to not have to say "I told you so” when this waste of space goes full steam into the financial iceberg. But will the captain Farry go down with his ship? No, they'll be the first to abandon ship. Sunning themselves elsewhere while others deal with years of their notorious legacy. Hasn’t this happened before in history? When democracy has again been ignored at the words of a collective including renowned professionals, including an ex mayor, one knows something is seriously amiss. Rodney Hde really had better come with all his auditors.
There to quote are far greater issues out there that would benefit from such a huge amount of money. To suggest the stadium is a development, while everything else is resultingly neglected is simply a glaring misnomer.

Sorry you don't recognise a rhetorical device when you see one. I've no idea what CAVE is? could you point us to a website?I think that there's good evidence (in the changes between the various polls) that public opinion in Dunedin has changed markedly since the last election - the CST has also come up short in most of the targets set by the council and yet they continue despite promising otherwise.  I hope that you want more for your students than jobs selling popcorn at the stadium 10 days a year - we need a city council that is actively working on creating real economic growth, jobs that create or bring new wealth into the community rather than just shuffle it around - their current vision for us seems to be for us to become a service economy - but for that to work you need someone to service - someone who creates actual wealth that can then flow through the local economy.  All that building a stadium does is to squander our local wealth: some will get paid to people who are hired temporarily to work building the stadium that is local wealth that will stay here, the rest of the stadium cost will go to the (non-local) builders or for cost of materials will leave our local economy - nothing in the building of the stadium makes us as a community better off.There wont be any more rugby games a year with the new stadium than there would be in Carisbrook - so playing games in the new stadium will not add anything extra to the local economy we don't have today, in fact the new stadium will have fewer seats so we may actually be worse off.If you want a future for your students in Dunedin they will need jobs, real jobs, not 10 days a year - and not just 10 jobs or 20 - the city needs to be helping to create 100s of jobs, 100s over and above replacements for those from businesses like F&P that disappearThis is where our council should be spending their energies and our money - not on subsidising entertainment

If I were any of the people involved in this decision making process I would be less concerned about Rodney Hide looking into the stadium process and a little more concerned about Ian Wishart's interest in the whole affair. If there is anything hiding in there, you know that he'll find it.

Thank you Cr Hudson for showing the ratepayers and process of democracy some respect. Our thoughts are with you as you now face the inevitable phone calls from Messrs Chin, Harland, Cairns and Farry.
Thanks too to the other 5 Crs who continue to press for a commonsense outcome to this sad charade.

Surely even those that support the proposed stadium must question the process that is currently being thrust upon us by the mayor and some councillors. The lack of transparency and accountability, the arrogance directed towards those that question the viability of the project, and the complete disregard for any semblance of a democratic process is staggering.
Never have I witnessed within this community such scorn from elected officials towards those they are elected to represent, and whose interests they are elected to protect. The result is a fine example of a dangerous mix of ego and arrogance. The next election cannot come soon enough, for support the stadium or not, democracy is not up for debate.

Yes, pity we'll all be watching from the peanut gallery after footing the bill for this monstrosity.

The argument that further consultation on the stadium now would set a precedent seems silly based on the examples given - Dunedin people have been calling for better waste treatment and better roads for decades and have been waiting for the council to get onto these matters. The same does not apply to the proposed stadium. Roading and waste treatment are essential council business - the stadium, however, is entirely discretionary and so should require evidence of overwhelming public support before proceeding, particularly given the cost. It doesn't seem to have this support, in fact there seems to be a long list of rational reasons to not proceed. Just because the council believes it can legally proceed with the plan doesn't mean that it should.
On Sunday we heard some critics' points of view, can we have their concerns properly addressed by the stadium proponents, please, and our fears allayed?

Mikestk, "we", "I want"' "I want"' "I want", you just want your way.
The problem for you guys (CAVE) the citizens against virtually everything is that your STS spokesperson started out so negative, vitriolic and personal. Who would bother consulting with a group represented by someone with that kind of attitude?
If it was so important to you why didn't you lobby for more representation at the last local body elections? This issue for me was clearly decided at that date.
What have you got to lose or lost that's so important to you? There are far greater issues out there that would benefit from your energy.
I am excited as this presents an opportunity for Dunedin that clearly you don't understand. I am a secondary school teacher and amongst my many geography students there is a level of anticipation and excitement I have not witnessed previously for a development in the city.

It is clear to a child that there is not popular support for the proposed stadium. Revelations about the actual costs, and more recently the fact we don't even need it in order to attract World Cup games have vastly eroded any support it had.
If the DCC were remotely representative of the people it'd put the proposed stadium to a referendum; or at the very least an honest survey.

I'm actually quite insulted by the mayor's response - events like Sunday's public meeting don't happen very often - local body politics are usually pretty subdued. We filled the town hall with minimal advertising - local bands do more postering than was done for Sunday night and even so nearly 2000 citizens showed up. The mayor didn't, he didn't try and persuade people to his point of view, he didn't try and justify his actions. I want some democracy, I want some representation and I want some accountability. I don't see any of this from the current council, just hidden meetings. I want to see the contract with the company that's going to build the stadium released to the public before it's signed and after time for the public to read and research it for the council to meet and take submissions from anyone and everyone who wants to present.
Now that would be real democracy.

A community facility needs community backing for it to succeed or else there is no point in having it. This farce doesn't have the backing from the majority of the community and therefore it's doomed to fail.
The council process is a farce and to the councillors who have voted for this....enjoy your jobs while you still have them as it's a certain that you won't have them come the next election.
And this is the same council who promotes a "Have Your Say" Expo...what a joke.

Why am I not surprised? Protagonists in Greek tragedy always stubbornly persist in their folly until it is too late to turn back. Hubris is always followed by nemesis. Good show, but expensive.