Preliminary work on the Otago Stadium site at Awatea St could begin as early as June, Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry says.
The project now hangs on today's decision by the Otago Regional Council on funding support, and any conditions it might put in place, following the city council's commitment to the stadium on Monday.
The amount and timing of any government contribution is as yet unknown.
But if regional council support continues, the first job would be to prepare a report for a trust board meeting next Monday, Mr Farry said.
The trust's immediate focus was to work on the $129.7 million guaranteed maximum price it negotiated with Hawkins Construction to "find further savings" - one of the conditions the city council set.
Another focus was to continue the private sector funding drive, which was about $28 million yesterday, and was expected to pick up following Monday's council decision.
The plan was to get to the $45.5 million figure, "with the emphasis on that now, rather than later on".
As well, the trust had to work on finding the $15 million needed to service payments until the $45.5 million arrived over 10 years.
"It may not be as high as $15 million, depending on the success of the fundraising," Mr Farry said.
The trust also has to deal with appeals to the Environment Court to do with roading necessary for the stadium and on zoning.
Council acting planning policy manager Paul Freeland said he was only aware of roading appeals from Stop the Stadium and Chalmers Properties.
He was unaware of any group appealing against the zone plan change.
He understood Environment Court hearings were due in early May.
On Monday, Prime Minister John Key said at a press conference any government funding for the Otago Stadium would be "modest".
Asked yesterday what modest meant, a spokesman for Finance Minster Bill English said the comment was made in the context of a follow-up question at the press conference, and the issue "hasn't got that far" that a figure could be suggested.
The Government said on Monday the Cabinet would be prepared to discuss advancing the stadium once a decision had been reached, and the spokesman said yesterday there was "no further fixed timeframe" on when a decision would be made.
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin said on Monday Mr English's private secretary was able to confirm that the Cabinet was prepared to discuss issues surrounding pursuing the stadium with stadium interests, but that government funds were under heavy demand and any project would have to stack up against others of similar merit.
