Discussions with several potential investors in the proposed $50million Southern Parallel Sports Campus (SPSC) at Lake Hood are ongoing and positive, says a promoter of the project.
The sports campus is proposed by APT Sports Academy Ltd, supported by Aonghus NZ Ltd, Westbury Investment Group USA, investment partners, the Allied Forces Foundation, and through alliances with New Zealand and North American universities.
Catherine Stuart, managing partner of Aonghus, said Lake Hood was the key factor in bringing the concept to the region.
Ongoing talks with investors were progressing well.
The project had ‘‘aggressive project timelines’’ and the aim was to have the complex open by mid 2021.
She said the mission of the project was to ‘‘change the game’’ by offering a holistic campus and programmes focused on benefiting high performance athletes, disabled athletes and ‘‘wounded warrior’’ service personnel from Coalition Forces in USA, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and supporting countries.
The proposed SPSC project was announced at Lake Hood on September 13.
Catherine Stuart said the announcement had received enthusiastic support from Lake Hood residents, and the SPSC team continued to work closely with the Lake Hood Extension Trust.
She said the project had also received encouraging support from Ashburton District Council and the mayor.
The project will include the sports campus, academic lecture theatres, medical, mental health and nutrition teaching services. Athletes will be housed in lakeside residential style accommodation.
The campus will be supported by the establishment of a high-end lodge, which will include the refurbishment and extension of the current Lake House restaurant.
For more information on the project visit the Southern Parallel Sports Campus Facebook page or southernparallelsports.com website.
