"It’s been the best day ever," Jo Hutton said.
The stadium was well used by all sections of the community, from older people who walked the velodrome track to elite sports teams and young children participating in simple sports. It also hosted myriad events from music festivals to formal functions, she said.
Activities open to all yesterday included entertainment on the Court One stage, bouncy castles, computer gaming suites, pickleball, volleyball, marching, roller derby, squash, and clip and climb.
Ms Hutton said community leaders had made good from bad after the stadium’s roof collapsed under the weight of a heavier-than-normal snow dump in 2010 and rebuilt something better than what had been lost.
"All the lessons they learnt, they applied, and the feedback we get now is how versatile and multipurpose all our spaces are — it’s why we really are world-class, there’s nothing like it in the country and we’ve got it in little ol’ Invercargill."
In 2024, more than 490,000 people came through the door, and she expected 2025 would have more.
"Polyfest was incredible — that was 50,000 people in five days. Nowhere else can handle these numbers."
The annual Christmas show was another stadium calendar highlight.
"It’s like a West End performance."
She credited the two operational teams "can-do attitudes".
"Sometimes the guys frequently work overnight to flip it from a Steel [sports] game set up to a gala dinner or an adventure park.
"You come back in the morning and it is like the fairies have been in."
It was important to ensure the stadium continued to be a world-class venue in the future as well.
Major sponsors from the city helped — ILT had donated $25million in the past 25 years, she said.
"We wouldn’t be here without our funders."
— Toni McDonald
