In response to Jolyon Manning

From the “Open Letter from Jolyon Manning” on the StS website

Jolyon Manning has voiced his opposition to the stadium development. He has a wealth of experience and expertise in community developments in the Otago Region. However this does not mean that his opposition is flawless or unquestionable. I have taken the time to respond to his concerns and issues raised.

The power of sport: RIP Yankee Stadium

If anyone ever needed a reminder of the ability of sport to create powerful emotions, try watching a replay of the last ever game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, NY.

Yankee Stadium (NY Times)

Cr Wilson

Cr Wilson’s letter to the ODT (22 sept) raises concerns that the stadium doesn’t have community backing. This us a valid concern, however her suggestion that if there is a silent majority we should use the phone number she provides and call the CST to book our 10 year package, otherwise excuse her for being brasses off.

What a disingenuous comment from someone who should know better. There is a difference between those wanting a new stadium, rolling up from week to week for matches or attending the odd concert, and having the ability to fork out a large sum of money for a yen year package. And if said packages aren’t snapped up she’ll be angry with you. That is not how I would assume my councilor to behave.

Poor criticism in the least.

When freedom of speech is not?

Quite simply when you are the owners of the Stop the Stadium blog site. Supposedly a site that was set up to engage the public and promote the ideas of the StS.

“To ensure that the views of the members of the Society are communicated effectively through all means at the Society’s disposal to the wider community”

From what I have experienced then, effective communication of the StS aim’s must include silencing dissenting opinion.

Nonsensical 'Common Sense'

Responding to the article by Robin Charteris (ODT, 9.9.08), Calvin Oaten throws up that all too familiar and increasingly useless term ‘common sense’. His call for an injection of “some commonsense and responsible fiscal management” is of course somewhat typical of the arguments put forward by the ‘Anti’ Stadium crowd these days.

For a start, what is common sense.

Banned!!!

This is truly pathetic and a very sad indictment on those conducting a campaign to destroy the hopes of many of us wanting a stadium built.

I have been actively engaged in presenting an alternate voice on their web site. It is of course their web site and they can do what they like, but as a blog inviting public opinion, I took up my democratic right to voice a free opinion.

Almost

And there I was thinking that the ODT had given the incessant moaning from the great Kiwi knocking machine a rest. But alas hidden away was yet another little gem by disgruntled of Dunedin.

Redundancy meets stupidity

M van Zyl I fear has spent too much time reading and unfortunately believing the disinformation surrounding the new Stadium. Her letter to the editor ODT (8/9/08) beautifuly illustrates the old saying that if you repeat something enough people might just belive it. She threw up more red herrings(all of which have been addressed) than a juggling fish monger.

Stadium Survey

http://www.business.otago.ac.nz/marketing/research/stadium.htm

John Williams and Ben Wooliscroft from the department of Marketing at the University of Otago have kindly accepted the task of conducting an independent survey of the people of Dunedin, re their views for and against the stadium.

At this stage the survey is in it’s draft form (thankfully) and they are asking for input from interested groups. I have made a detailed submission to them over the survey in it’s current form. To their credit they have acknowledged my concerns and have advised that comments such as mine will be soon on the web site for public discussion.

You can download the PDF of the draft survey from their web page here

In it’s current form, I would suggest that this is anything less than an unbiased survey. There is no way that a survey with leading questions devoid of neutrality would be worth taking note of.

No no don't stop

2 more concerned souls in the ODT today. P Synder is on some conspiracy / take the piss fishing trip about god only knows what. Aren’t people who love in other centers able to comment these days. Could it be they are from Dunedin, still call the place home, plan to return home soon etc, and want to continue to take an active part in the future direction if the city. Seems folk elsewhere have a better view of development than those still living here.

First we'er too fat, now we're too thin

They did’t disappoint! Today I got to open the letters page to 4 dissaffected souls deploring the development of the stadium.

Dear old Syd Adie (of the strangely named Ratepayers and Hoiseholders Association) came to the startling conclusion that there will be only 3450 people average attendane at events at the stadium. This is of course based on some shonky assumptions about public participation numbers. Putting aside the 7s tournament the kind folk of Wgtn are notoriously poor attendees at sporting events.

G Livingston moaned about the money spent on feasibility studies for the stadium, while there were moans about buying the land.

My god you people are boring

This takes the cake

I hope you will excuse the pun, but the latest in the continuing saga of ‘a letter a day to the ODT’, we are told that we shouldn’t build a new stadium because there is a virtual (what not real?) obesity epidemic, thus to watch sport instead of playing it is a ‘folly’.

Excuse me while I burn a few calories laughing myself silly. My god people are ontoloerably stupid or what. With all due respect to G R MacDonald there is overwhelming evidence that watching quality sports encourages participation. It was going to QEII stadium with my dad in the mid 70s to watch quality football which gave me the inspiration to take up the game (which has now lasted 35 years).

I’ve been more than tollerant of the ODT publishing all manner of rubbish over the stadium, but this is simply taking the piss. Either the ODT is being exceedingly generous with it’s column space for these folk, or they are playing an astute game of ‘give them enough rope’.

Mind numbingly stupid. What next Noro virus or rising sea levels?

Dumb and dumber…

The dumb – the questions posed to the Councillors from the Councillors opposed to the stadium development over issues surrounding the stadium. {Thanks to Anne for clarifying this}

The Dumber – Fliss Butcher’s answers.

A letter a day, doesn't keep the wolves at bay

So the StS has reached a 1000 members, good on them. I hope they fail miserably and allow the other 119,000+ of us to enjoy the stadium.