Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin today announced the appointment of a new chief executive to manage the stadium and other council-owned venues.
Welshman David Davies would be in charge of the newly created Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML), that oversees the $198 million Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin and Edgar Centres.
After years of planning, legal wrangling and vocal protesting from locals opposed to the new fully enclosed stadium, the contract was finally signed off on April 27.
In the past two weeks, real progress could be seen as more than 100 construction workers erected massive concrete pillars and foundations for the 30,000-seat stadium.
Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry said there were "no known difficulties" at this stage that would prevent it being finished by August 1 2011.
Mr Farry said each stage of the project required different skill sets so it had not been necessary to employ a chief executive for the company any earlier.
Mr Davies would begin his role with DVML in November.
His appointment came after an international search.
He has managed venues in Manchester, Newcastle and Oberhausen and has also been chief executive of English championship football club Queen's Park Rangers and rugby club London Wasps.
DVML chairman Sir John Hansen said the appointment was very exciting for the "fledgling stadium".
Mr Davies was selected from 92 applicants.
