Stadium wars

Does Forsyth Barr Stadium count as an indoor venue under the new protocol?
Forsyth Barr Stadium. Photo: ODT files
What will be the biggest battle within New Zealand’s borders in 2024 and beyond?

There is a chance it could be an ongoing stoush between two South Island cities and their respective glossy stadiums, both bidding to attract events and deliver promised riches to the local economy.

In the blue and gold corner is Forsyth Barr Stadium, which will be going on 13 by that stage and entering its uncertain teenage years after a difficult gestation and a few hairy moments in the early years but a generally rosy childhood in Dunedin.

And in the red corner will be the brash new contender, the as-yet-unnamed stadium in Christchurch that has finally been signed off nearly a decade after the earthquakes wrecked Lancaster Park.

It travelled under the radar somewhat this week — understandable in the middle of a global pandemic and the final countdown to a delayed election — when the major funding parties signed off on their joint agreement to build Christchurch’s new stadium.

It will cost $473million, more than twice Dunedin’s stadium. The Christchurch City Council will contribute $253million and the Crown will stump up a whopping $220million.

Yes, for those counting at home, that means the Government is giving the small matter of $205million more to Christchurch for its stadium than it gave Dunedin for the Glass-house.

There does not seem to be quite the levels of public angst surrounding the Christchurch stadium that so dominated the Dunedin debate — though, presumably, there are plenty of people still rebuilding shattered lives who question why so much is being spent on a sport/music venue.

We wonder, though, if there will be some disquiet ahead for the operators and supporters of Dunedin’s stadium.

This has been coming a long time, but there will still be some wondering about the implications of the Christchurch development for this city.

It will mean two very similar, covered stadiums just a few hours apart bidding for many of the same events, including major sporting fixtures and music concerts.

It will, surely, mean organisers and promoters weighing up the respective merits of the South Island’s two major cities and associated infrastructure, and where more money can be made or logistical issues can more easily be overcome.

Dunedin and Forsyth Barr Stadium have a few things in their favour.

They have a good head start, a sound reputation as the hosts of major events — which contributed more than $77million to the Dunedin economy in 2019 — and a smart person at the helm in Terry Davies.

A period of grace — obviously now massively disrupted by Covid-19 — and that proven record should be enough to keep Dunedin in the hunt for years to come.

Christchurch will doubtless also face challenges as it seeks to avoid a budget blowout (almost inevitable with a project of this size) and delivering on some bold promises.

Eventually, as so often the case when the Crusaders play the Highlanders, will the northerners be able to flex muscle that the South may struggle to match?

 

Comments

I bet Christchurch won't have their stadium sitting empty most of the year. I bet their council will allow it to be used to bring people to the city to spend money. I bet Christchurch will invest in infastructure allowing easy access to their stadium. I bet Christchurch probably has a better plan on how to maximize the use of their stadium. Too bad we live here and don't have visionary leadership providing oversight of our stadium!

If it's for Footie, it's a goer. Never mind Christchurch East.

The Forsyth Barr Stadium has always been a white elephant. The initial claim that its cost would be covered by private investors would have required an Elton John scale concert/AB rugby international every week without fail for 20 years for this thing to make sense to any private investor. Unsurprisingly, they kept their hands in their pockets and the ratepayer stumped up 100% - as everybody knew they would.

Due to its pygmy size, the major tests have not been played here. Also, all the major concerts would always have gone to Christchurch anyway, and it is only because every major sports and entertainment venue in Christchurch was demolished by an Act of God precisely when FB opened that a thin stream of major events and the odd second rank test has acted as a fig leaf for this gobbling turkey in the intervening period.

This is not to say that those who have been charged with selling the Gobbler to these incoming acts haven't done a good job - They have, and I suspect that this will not escape the notice of the owners of the Christchurch venue. The FB team may well join the exodus, as normality reasserts itself and every major event heads north to Christchurch.