The Forsyth Barr Stadium's artificial turf system has been given a further $50,000 in trust funding, bringing the total to $655,556 for a system that could cost up to $900,000.
The latest funding, which follows a $605,556 grant from the New Zealand Community Trust in October (the largest poker machine grant given to a local body), was announced yesterday by Southern Trust chief executive Karen Shea.
The stadium will use the Grass-Master system, in which a plastic thread is inserted in the turf, around which the roots of natural grass grow.
The system should allow the turf to be used about three times as frequently.
Dunedin city councillor Syd Brown said in October other trusts had been approached for help to cover the remainder of the cost of the system.
Yesterday, he said the funding so far would pay for the product and its installation, but there was still more money to raise.
The final figure was "a moving feast", as costs including Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Maf) fees, customs fees, internal freight charges and exchange rate changes up to the time payment was made were unknown. Maf was involved because equipment to install the product had to be imported into New Zealand.
The amount still to be raised could be up to $240,000, though that was a "worst-case scenario".
"The assurance I can give is we are not looking at all for ratepayer-funded sources," Cr Brown said.
The council had more "irons on the fire" in terms of trusts, and he was confident all the money needed would be raised.
"We're on a roll," Cr Brown said.
Ms Shea said Southern Trust trustees believed the stadium would provide "a great benefit to various amateur sporting and recreational groups in Dunedin, as well as providing a multi-use venue for Dunedin city".
At the stadium site this week, work on the base of the pitch was evident under the roof.
Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry said grass seeding was expected to begin early next year, and United Kingdom company Desso was due in April or May to bring the machine to the site to plant the GrassMaster fibres.
