Stadium might not be ready

[Burgs]

Not sure what the planning committee have been doing this last two years

Stadium might not be ready

From correspondents in Wllington, New Zealand
November 13, 2007

THE head of New Zealand's largest building firm has warned organisers of the 2011 Rugby World Cup that decisions on rebuilding stadia and transport links need to be made shortly or they will not be completed in time.
Feltcher Building's chief executive Jonathan Ling also told the media after the company's annual shareholder meeting in Auckland that the $NZ190 million ($A161m) redevelopment of Eden Park, which will host the final, and transport links in the city was of particular concern.

"We're getting to a point that unless some of these key projects are started soon they physically won't get finished in time for the World Cup," Ling said.

"Unless a decision is made shortly then no construction company will want it because it won't be able to be finished in time."

New Zealand was awarded the hosting rights for the event in 2005 with a commitment to upgrade Eden Park, which held the first World Cup final in 1987, to an International Rugby Board-mandated minimum capacity of 60,000 at a cost of about $NZ325 million ($A276.49m).

However, the government said its preferred option would be to build a new NZ$500 million stadium on Auckland's waterfront to take advantage of the central city's rail and bus links and hotel accommodation.

Local government leaders rejected that option and scaled back plans to a $NZ190 million ($A161m) upgrade of Eden Park.

Reuters

[Jess]

Looks like stadium issues are currently universal...

[The Lone Hydrangea]

This thread will definitely go down as a classic by the time the cup starts in 11. Cant wait.

[slomo]

looking forward to RWC 2011 relocated to australia?....

[jono]

we can hope.
mayb this time the wallabies will get a game in perth for their world cup campaign!
that is if we have a decent stadium by then...

[Seldom]

that is if we have a decent stadium by then...

Dont think so. Our Govt here has the same prob as the Kiwi's too many chiefs and not enough indians!!!!!

[jono]

yeah. that pretty much sums it up.

[hopep]

Not likely JONO that any games will be in Perth.
We don't, and in all likely hood Won't have a 60,000 capacity stadium of any description by then.

The Kiwis (who have a lot of 'face' to loose here) haven't been able to get anything started in 2 years.
In WA - with AFL getting in the way - we've no hope a any decision for at least another 2 election cycles.

[The InnFORCEr]

Not likely JONO that any games will be in Perth.
We don't, and in all likely hood Won't have a 60,000 capacity stadium of any description by then.

The Kiwis (who have a lot of 'face' to loose here) haven't been able to get anything started in 2 years.
In WA - with AFL getting in the way - we've no hope a any decision for at least another 2 election cycles.

60,000 is a minimum size to host the finals, pool matches will be played at 40,000+ stadiums........we are not "out of the question" and the kiwis are not "out of the woods" either.

They could just being dragging this out so they do lose the RWC and won't have to choke in front of their own counrtymen!

[Happy]

shit i wish our government was as eager to build a $500m stadium

[GIGS20]

They ARE eager to build a massive stadium. 60,000 seats.......it's OVAL!




Prats!

[lmaag]

I think to solve the stadium building dilemma John O'Neil should approach the IRB and suggest that we could help our Kiwi friends by stages some of the games in OZ. By some of the games, I mean all of them. That might work.

[Harry]

looking forward to RWC 2011 relocated to australia?....

Don't speak too soon Slomo. After all with have the same ARU CEO who managed to do exactly that in 2003.........

[James]

shit i wish our government was as eager to build a $500m stadium

That was only so the government could build a monument to themselves and as soon as the the idea was labelled monumentally stupid their wallets closed up tighter than a ducks butt and would only give out about a quarter of what they wanted for their waterfront stadium.

Its that kind of weak ass stuff that is hurting the planning for RWC 2011.

[jono]

stupid government cant see the benifits of having a decent bloody stadium. always 2 steps behind...