The group formed to support the proposed stadium in Awatea St says there is strong interest from its members in purchasing seats if the project goes ahead.
Our Stadium secretary Tim Calder said his organisation was changing its role from a support group to a group that will help the Carisbrook Stadium Trust plan for the future of the facility.
Headed by former mayor Sir Clifford Skeggs and backed by a group of business people, lawyers, media representatives and sports people, Our Stadium was formed last April to rally public opinion in favour of the project.
Mr Calder this week sent an email to people on the group's database, which he said totalled more than 4000 people who had responded to its website or were signed up last year.
The email asked whether individuals or companies would be interested in buying seats if the stadium went ahead.
He received 100 replies in the first four minutes, 500 within four hours, and, by yesterday, a total of 1000.
Most were interested, although the email made it clear a positive response did not commit people to purchasing seats that would ‘‘eventually be made available''.
Mr Calder said Our Stadium wanted to give people who supported the stadium the first option of buying seats.
‘‘We weren't anticipating this much positive feedback.''
He planned to collate the replies this weekend.
Our Stadium had done all it could to support the stadium, and its role had ‘‘changed a bit''.
It would now support the Carisbrook Stadium Trust's efforts to make the project a success.
‘‘And we want to show that business supports this [project].''
Our Stadium committee member Paul Dwyer said the point of the exercise was to show the strength of support for the stadium from the business community.
If the council voted to go ahead with the stadium, an event would be held in April to present options for the business community to get involved in the project.
