Stadium : Used car and underwear sales down #missdpopularitycontest

The man running Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium says the venue is still hunting for sell-out concerts, despite being overlooked by a string of top international acts.

### ODT Online Tue, 27 Dec 2016
Concert quest ongoing despite setbacks
By Chris Morris
After a bumper period last year in which Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac and Neil Diamond all performed at the stadium, the venue’s international concerts have dried up, the last being Black Sabbath’s show in April. Hopes more big acts would stop in Dunedin this summer were dashed when performers such as British rockers Coldplay and pop superstar Adele opted for shows in Auckland instead…. Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive Terry Davies [said] this summer’s “dry” period for concerts in Dunedin would continue for the first half of 2017.
Read more

****

Listen:
### radionz.co.nz Fri, 12 Dec 2008
Radio NZ National : Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan
Carisbrook Stadium in trouble (Link)
09:30 Malcolm Farry, Chairman Carisbrook Stadium Trust; and Jeff Dickie, property investor and outspoken critic of the stadium.
Audio | Download: Ogg  MP3 (13′15″)

—

The instant the CST and the council started believing in their own hype and spin about Dalai Lama visits, world swimming championships and Royal tours was the moment that this city’s ratepayers were doomed to have to meet all of the “private funding”.
–Russell Garbutt ODT 13.4.12

Garrick Tremain – 13 May 2012

At various times, it was imagined that it might host international soccer, rugby league and even swimming; that penguins would frolic in a (converted) adjoining quarry, and not just that the biggest names in rock music would visit, but, perhaps, the Dalai Lama and British royalty.
–Steve Kilgallon Stuff 3.6.12

Then….

### channel39.co.nz Tue, 17 July 2012
█ Dalai Lama’s proposed visit puts smile on face
The Dalai Lama’s proposed visit to Dunedin has put a wry smile on the face of the man behind Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Video

Garrick Tremain – 17 Jan 14

Garrick Tremain – 1 Oct 2014

****

Full article:

[before we knew the GOBs were completely buggering Dunedin and Central Otago’s electricity network]

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 05:00 03/06/2012
House of Blame
By Steve Kilgallon – Sunday Star Times
AMBITIOUS: The Forsyth Barr Stadium has left a city divided and its ratepayers facing vast debts.
….In June 2008, two major concert promoters had told the D-Scene newspaper what should have been self-evident: Dunedin was too small, remote and student-oriented to provide the sales base to attract big-name acts. In February this year, council-owned stadium management company Dunedin Venues Management Limited’s (DVML) chief executive David Davies said concert bookings for the stadium would be “thin” in 2012. “What’s thinner than one?” asks Garbutt. Cull says the council has to leverage the advantage of having a roof, guaranteeing events won’t be rained off. Farry, who wanted to run the stadium for its first two years, is disappointed the council hasn’t attracted more concerts.
Read more

*The same article, retitled, appears at Stuff Sport: Stadium builds under fire

****

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 12:38 14/09/2012
Councils should stay away from business
By Chalkie – Tim Hunter
There are people who believe local councils should own businesses because they generate returns and ease the burden on ratepayers. Chalkie is not one of them. Your humble correspondent thinks councils should stick to their knitting. The reasons are many and varied. Taking a couple of examples at random:
a) Councils can start to think they are there to make money instead of, say, distribute water; and
b) Councils are not commercially savvy shareholders.
Poppycock, you say. Show me a single case of a council’s emptyheaded pursuit of unprofitable goals. In response, Chalkie invites you to consider Dunedin. In that southern city the council is the proud owner of Dunedin City Holdings, whose job, according to its report, is “to manage the commercial investments of the Dunedin City Council to maximise returns”. The businesses under DCH’s umbrella include electricity network company Aurora, forestry company City Forests, the Taieri Gorge Railway Company and an engineering business called Delta Utility Services. DCH’s 2012 numbers are not yet available, but last year it trumpeted an improvement in revenue and profit and a total cash return to the council of $23.2 million. If you thought that was a good result, you’d be wrong. When you look at several years of DCH numbers a disturbing pattern emerges of ever-increasing millions being borrowed and pumped into underperforming assets. The cashflow statements tell the story.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC laundering – wring out Regent Theatre Trust, pump DVML

Photo: Dunedin NZ

—

Received from John Evans
Mon, 18 May 2015 at 5:29 p.m.

P26 ODT Saturday May 16.

In an article headed Stadium sound on agenda, included some apparent proposed changes for DVML, one being the stripping of the rights to sell DMVL venues from the Regent Theatre Trust, considered an anomaly by the DCC or DMVL or both.

The nett effects

1. Immediate reduction in income of $110,000 to the Regent Theatre Trust. However the DCC are going to suggest a donation of $110,000 as a grant to the trust (unearned).

2. An increase in staffing levels for DMVL (to sell the tickets).

3. No reduction in ratepayers’ costs.

4. A presumed increase in DMVL income (gross but not necessarily nett) DCC looks better in financial accounts (hopeful).

5. Lost opportunity costs (the recipient of the $110,000 if the DCC did not give it to the Regent trust).

This is what is called by forensic accountants, creative accounting.

Humans call it robbing Peter to pay Paul.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Just when DCC thought no-one was watching

Evidence Jim’s last hurrah . . .

SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – SAY NO TO THE CCO – NOOOOOOOOO DCC

****

Dunedin City Council
Media Release

DCC Water and Wastewater Services – A Council Controlled Organisation?

This item was published on 14 Jan 2011.

Following a series of workshops and reports over the past two years, the Dunedin City Council will next Thursday consider creating a new Council Controlled Organisation to run water and waste utility services on behalf of the city.

A Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) is one that is owned by and reports to Council, but operates independently, governed by a board of directors appointed by the Council. It would be commercially disciplined while being funded by the same mix of rates and charges currently funding the services.

About 100 existing Council staff would be directly affected by the change if the CCO is established after consultation. Their positions would be transferred on existing terms and conditions to the new organisation.

Two years ago the Council asked outgoing Chief Executive, Jim Harland, to report on how best to deliver water and waste services into the next 50 years, making it clear that privatisation was not an option as it would be contrary to the existing policy (W101/7) which states that; “Water and sewerage systems should remain in the ownership of the Council either directly or as part of the Council’s operations or through an entity owned by the Council and that the Council is opposed to the privatisation of the city-wide water and wastewater services”.

After consideration of three options – the enhanced status quo, a CCO or a Council Controlled Trading Organisation (which would be required to provide a return on capital) – staff and consultants have recommended the CCO as being the most efficient option. It is expected long-run reduced costs to ratepayers for water services would be about $20 million over 10 years.

This would be achieved through more efficient, commercially focused, processes along with reduced overhead and financial efficiencies.

If the Council approves, the community will be consulted using a special consultative procedure, as defined in the Local Government Act 2002, in the first half of this year. If finally approved, the CCO would be established with a three-year transition period during which it would continue to use Council services such as IT, finance and HR, for example.

Water and wastewater services are currently provided to about 47,000 Dunedin homes and businesses, operating on a budget of about $58 million in 2010/11, a capital budget of $31 million and managing water assets valued at $1.6 billion.

For more information, please contact:

* Dave Cull, Mayor of Dunedin City Council
* Cr Andrew Noone, Chairman Infrastructure Services Committee
* Cr Syd Brown, Chairman Finance, Strategy and Development Committee

Contact Mayor Dave Cull on 477 4000.

DCC page link

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

What. Warming up bands for the (new) stadium enterprise, slowly.

@ForBarrStadium Check out The Black Seeds are coming to Dunedin next month to play at Carisbrook:) good times!! http://bit.ly/ddzAcq

****

### stuff.co.nz 26 Feb 2010
Entertainment
The Black Seeds at Carisbrook
The Black Seeds will play at Carisbrook as part of the Rebel Sport Super 14 billing on Saturday 20 March 2010. The concert will follow the Highlanders versus Sharks game. Tickets available now!

Tickets are on sale via TicketDirect and the usual local outlets”.

The Black Seeds are an 8-piece Wellington band that have carved out their reputation on the back of two double-platinum selling albums, and a masterful 8-piece live show regarded as one of the best in New Zealand.
Read more

Post by Elizabeth Kerr

Rugby: Sharks 23 Highlanders 15

### ODT Online Sun, 3 May 2009
Rugby: Highlanders stretch Sharks but go down

The Highlanders were staunch but ultimately beaten 23-15 by the Sharks in a tetchy, error-filled Super 14 rugby match at Durban this morning.
Read more

### stuff.co.nz Last updated 05:10 03/05/2009
Rusty Sharks beat Highlanders
Reuters

The Sharks edged the Otago Highlanders in Durban on Saturday to record their first win in three games and move back into the top four of the Super 14 tournament.
Read more