What to do with Carisbrook?
That is the question being pondered by community leaders in South Dunedin, worried about the impact the loss of the international rugby stadium could have on the area's bars, restaurants and other businesses.
Next month, Dunedin city councillors are expected to decide whether to back the planned $188 million Otago Stadium, which could lead to Carisbrook - parts of which have a category 1 historic places listing - being sold and developed.
"A lot of people that come into the shop are concerned about what's going to happen to the old one [stadium], and what's going to go into that site," South Dunedin Business Association president Jane Orbell said.
It was enough to exercise Dunedin South MP Clare Curran, who surveyed constituents before last year's general election about preferences for the Carisbrook site, should it become surplus to requirements.
Ideas finding support ranged from leaving it as a sports and recreation area, to developing it into community housing or a mixed-use housing and retail development, she said.
Cr John Bezett said if the site was sold, it would go to "the highest bidder" and be developed.
If development was something that created a new population, such as housing or aged-care, that could have benefits for the shopping district and local economy.
However, the site's central location would also be an "very attractive" location for industry, which would be good for the city "because we need industry and we need jobs", he said.
"South Dunedin to me is ideally placed to be designated industrial land," he said.
