$77m boost to city from stadium

Shania Twain’s concert on December 22 - the last of eight major concerts at the venue in 2018 -...
Shania Twain’s concert on December 22 - the last of eight major concerts at the venue in 2018 - drew a crowd of 17,884 people. Photo: Stephen Jaquiiery
A record year just got better for Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Figures released by Dunedin Venues yesterday showed major events at the stadium had together contributed $77 million to the city’s economy last year.

The icing on the cake was country pop star Shania Twain’s concert on December 22 - the last of eight major concerts at the venue in 2018 - which drew a crowd of 17,884 people.

Of those, 61.5%  came from outside the city, and together the fans had pumped $5.5 million into the city’s tills.

The concert came after the stadium also hosted Roger Waters, Robbie Williams, Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar and Pink, as well as the All Blacks rugby test against France.

Dunedin Venues chief executive Terry Davies said the major acts - among 218 events held at the stadium during 2018 - made last year a record-breaker at the stadium.

Mr Davies said 2018 was "one out of the box for us and we’re thrilled with the results."

"The team worked extremely hard across all areas of the business and were very proud of the outcomes we have achieved for the stadium and the city."

chris.morris@odt.co.nz

Comments

Will the funds be used to offset the DCC's 'grand vision' instead of them gouging rates yet again?. I bet not.

Yet DVML makes losses, and the stadium has a negative net worth after the true cost of funding. $71m gross is nice but how much of that stayed in Dunedin? eg only a miniscule amount from an AIR NZ fare stays in Dunedin.

The real question we should ask-could Dunedinites have utilised the additional $275m (plus interest) from building a stadium vs Carisbrook improvements- better? Answer: definitely, better my money in my pocket than in technocrats and developers that fleeced ratepayers in a white elephant. Remember, virtually ALL concerts and matches will cease once Christchurch gets their stadium.

 

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