Spontaneous applause from Upper Clutha residents closed a slick and informative Otago Stadium roadshow presentation in Wanaka last night.
The reaction from the 35 people who attended the meeting at the Lake Wanaka Centre was positive, but none took the chance to publicly question the presenters of the travelling roadshow about the stadium's direct benefits to the Wanaka region.
When asked by Carisbook Stadium Trust marketing consultant Don Hutchings whether they thought the Otago Stadium project was in good hands, the group responded with applause.
Wanaka Community Board chairman and Queenstown Lakes councillor Lyal Cocks welcomed Otago Stadium commercial manager Guy Hedderlink and spokesman Brian Meredith with the statement "Wanaka always turns out."
But, for a town where residents usually come together for local community causes, the meeting lacked vocal support and a show of numbers.
Mr Cocks explained to those who arrived at the 7pm meeting on time that questions about ratings differentials for Queenstown Lakes residents, derived from QLDC funding for the stadium project, were an issue for the council to decide.
However, his community board and council colleagues Carrick Jones and John Wilson pressed the roadshow presenters to explain the stadium's private funding and rating impact for Wanaka residents.
Mr Hedderlink said that the further people lived away from Dunedin, the less they would be likely to pay by way of rates.
