But Dunedin City Council general manager finance and corporate support, Athol Stephens, last night dismissed the claims of Dr Robert Hamlin, of the University of Otago's School of Business.
Dr Hamlin last night said on Dunedin television station Channel Nine that city councillors had adopted a report on Monday which he said effectively removed the trust from the project.
The report, from Mr Stephens to the council's finance and strategy committee, said revenues, expenses, capital expenditure and debt related to the construction of the stadium would now be recorded on the council's books, rather than the trust's.
"It certainly throws this project into confusion," Dr Hamlin said.
Mr Stephens said he could not understand how Dr Hamlin had arrived at his conclusion.
The trust would still be acting as agents for the council.
It would promote and fund-raise for the stadium as well as secure services such as design, engineering and construction, Mr Stephens said.
The trust had to be "a little bit careful about the sort of activities and transactions it engaged in" or it could jeopardise its charitable status, he said.
It became apparent the correct way to do things was to have the trust do the marketing, but the actual cash flows should go directly to the council.
