Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry said for the first time yesterday that while a Carisbrook redevelopment had not been officially dropped, the question of whether it was an acceptable option was "another matter".
And the option has limited support among city councillors, with Cr John Bezett saying that in his opinion, "there is no plan B".
The trust's latest report to the Dunedin City Council's finance and strategy committee, while only one and a-half pages long, sparked discussion on an upgrade, an option embraced by many people opposed to funding the new stadium.
Cr Neil Collins asked Mr Farry that if the Awatea St stadium could not be built, "is there still a plan B"?
Mr Farry answered that a redevelopment as a serious option had difficulties, partly in terms of funding, with the University of Otago's part in the project not included and difficulties with height restrictions on redeveloped stands.
The meeting also heard from Cr Michael Guest that it was "quite clear the Otago Regional Council said "No" to anything other than the Awatea St stadium, and the Community Trust of Otago would not provide the same funding.
Mr Farry said after the meeting the most significant option at Carisbrook was the development of the Burns St side of the ground, including the Rose and Neville St stands.
It would be "very difficult" to get resource consent for that, because its height would cause significant shading to surrounding properties.
To go ahead with the plan, the playing field would have to be moved towards the Terrace side of the site, buildings would have to be moved and the field itself dug about 1m deeper into the ground.
That would cost close to $80 million, would not move the stadium up the hierarchy of New Zealand stadiums, and because of the repositioning, would not be suitable for cricket.
"It would probably cost the city [council] the same amount it's contributing now."
The other option was changing the incline of the Terrace, and providing a roof, at a cost of about $30 million.
That would allow tests to be played for the present but would not "future-proof" Carisbrook.
Mr Farry told the meeting the trust had gathered about one-third of the $55.5 million of private-sector funding it required.
Changes to the way the trust reports its activities to the council are understood to be coming, with trust chief executive Darren Burden saying recently it would be reporting to "key stakeholders", and they would report to the finance and strategy committee.
Mr Farry would not expand on that, but said an announcement was expected later this week.
Reporting to the council's finance and strategy committee every six weeks was one condition stipulated by the council when it agreed to fund the stadium to the tune of $91.4 million.
Yesterday's report said year-end figures on expenditure were being finalised, and were expected to be completed by August 15.
Since the last report, the trust had employed a commercial manager to focus on private-sector funding and communications, and the trust had approved a "rebranding and repositioning strategy" for the stadium.
