A final decision on the handing over of the Forsyth Barr Stadium to council-owned company Dunedin Venues Ltd (DVL) is on the agenda today, with only a riparian walkway holding up the process.
The Dunedin City Council will hold an extraordinary meeting to decide the issue.
Cr Kate Wilson, who opposed the process late last month, said despite assurances in a report public access to the walkway beside the Water of Leith was safe, she was still not comfortable with the handover.
The Dunedin City Council finance, strategy and development committee voted in November to let a report recommending the handover lie on the table, after Cr Wilson raised concerns about ownership and public access at the pathway between the Leith and the stadium's south stand.
Approval for the stadium, and its net debt, to be transferred to DVL was to have been ratified at a council meeting today, if the committee meeting in November had agreed.
The transfer would have meant the council's total debt of about $330 million would drop to about $230 million overnight, as the debt was moved off the council's books, and on to the council company's books.
For the transfer, independent registered valuer John Dunckley, of Darroch Valuations, valued the facility at $225 million.
DVL would lease the stadium to Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, the company that would run it, at a rental of $4 million a year.
Because the committee's approval was not forthcoming, an extraordinary meeting will be held on the issue today, half an hour before the council meeting.
A report on the matter from resource consent manager Alan Worthington said the council's district plan was explicit that public access by the Leith was important.
The plan indicated the strip of land was identified as "Leith access area" as part of the stadium zone.
Once the ownership of the land changed, consent "provides for public access by a combination of esplanade reserve next to the campus building and a right of way easement next to the stadium building".
"The right of public access along the bank of the Water of Leith will be maintained."
Cr Wilson said last night she believed it would be better for the council to own the strip of land.
She did not think providing public access should be the responsibility of DVL, but noted she was "just one councillor".
