The Dunedin City Council last week confirmed it would chip in $500,000 for the project at King's.
The Otago Hockey Association and the school will provide the balance.
All three parties believed the location is fit for purpose despite concerns about rising sea levels, reports of subsidence in the general area and the threat of further damaging floods in South Dunedin.
The area was badly affected during the devastating flood in June last year.
The nearby Tonga Park and Bathgate Park more closely resembled lakes than recreation reserves. However, King's High School rector Dan Reddiex said the school grounds held up well and aerial photographs back his assertion.
"The place where we are looking to locate the turf ... that area was completely untouched by the flood last year,'' Reddiex said.
"That area is slightly higher than the other areas, so we are not concerned at all about the placement. We've had discussion with people who understand how those things work and they have indicated they don't have great concern either.
"This area has always had a relatively high water table but it does not translate into our grounds being out of commission.''
Otago Hockey Association general manager Rachel Minton-Smith said the parties were not entering into the project "blindly''and "there is no point worrying about that until we find out more about that particular site'', she said.
Dunedin City Council recreation planning and facilities manager Jendi Paterson said the site's constraints "were considered through the 2016-17 annual plan deliberations''.
The site "was not immediately affected by the June 2015 rainfall event'' and "constructing an artificial surface will increase the resilience of this site to wet weather and high use''.
Resource consent is being worked through.
The biggest issue, though, shapes as the lighting.
"Conversations with the Dunedin Dark Sky Forum have already begun via the Otago Hockey Association to ensure any lighting impact does not compromise the Dark Sky initiative, or adversely affect neighbours,'' Paterson said.
Paterson said the area was not expected to flood regularly.
However, "if any special drainage measures are necessary they will be considered as part of the design process'' .
The council's decision is a vote of confidence for South Dunedin and a huge boost for hockey in the region.
Otago Hockey has had a third turf on its wish list for more than a decade.
Other locations were considered, including its site at Logan Park.
But the partnership with King's offered a way forward for a project which had struggled to get any traction.
"King's were keen on the project as well ... and if you have someone who is keen to be part of a big project, then it makes it a lot easier,'' Minton-Smith said.
She hopes the venue will be ready in time for the 2018 season.
"I think it is good to have a shorter time frame because we want to get it all moving and get the best outcome for everybody involved.''
