The 2024 annual report and quarterly report, ending September 30, for Dunedin City Holdings Ltd (DCHL) were both tabled at a Dunedin City Council finance and council controlled organisations committee meeting on Thursday.
A handful of councillors did not attend the meeting in-person, but submitted their questions in writing.
One question was about why there were so few big names and events being attracted to Forsyth Barr Stadium, compared with gigs across the ditch.
DCHL chairman Tim Loan relayed a response on behalf of incoming Dunedin Venues Management (DVML) chief executive Paul Doorn, who said Australia would always attract major concerts, and those touring the country would play at multiple destinations as the risk to promoters was relatively low.
Touring bands wanted more money but promoters were looking at reducing risk, and so tours were shorter and promoters did not have a high risk appetite.
"This will change, and I believe that we will start to see improvement from summer 2025 and 2026 when tours will lengthen, and promoter risk times will improve," the response said.
Mr Doorn also pointed out that DVML would require a "bidding fund" to allow to bid for major concerts in the future.
At the request of Live Nation, DVML had offered a "considerable sum" as incentive to bring Metallica to Dunedin, but this had still not secured the show.
Mr Loan said he believed this had been because the bidding fund was insufficient.
Earlier this year, Metallica released a teaser on their website announcing they would be visiting New Zealand and Australia as part of their 2025 world tour.
The band later confirmed it would be performing at Eden Park, Auckland, in November next year — its sole stop in the country.
Mr Doorn, the former chief executive of New South wales Rugby and the Waratahs, is set to assume the role of DVML chief executive from December.
Cr Christine Garey asked if the council could be assured, given Mr Doorn’s sporting background, that there would still be a focus on non-sporting entertainment.
Mr Loan said that while it was still early days for Mr Doorn coming into the role, he was looking at a broad range of opportunities and was "keen to see the stadium used as much as possible to its capacity," which would include entertainment "in all forms".
