Work has begun on the new Academy of Sport building on the north end of the Forsyth Barr Stadium, which later this year will house both the academy and the Highlanders rugby team.
Dunedin City Council community life general manager Graeme Hall said piling work had begun last week, and the two-storey structure was still on track to be completed before the Rugby World Cup begins in September.
Mr Hall yesterday released an artist's drawing of the new building, showing a lift at the rear that will service the academy and allow access for disabled athletes who use the facility, and entry to the stadium's media box via a sky bridge.
The media box has been shifted from its original position in the south stand.
The design has changed from an original plan to have the building backing directly against the north stand of the stadium.
Academy acting chief executive Selwyn Maister said yesterday he was "very excited" by the project.
Later this year, the academy would move in with the Highlanders. The two organisations have shared the former art gallery building in Logan Park.
The outside of the building is to be finished before the Rugby World Cup in September, with no sign of construction by that time, and the academy plans to move in November.
Late last year, the council voted to build the $4.8 million performance centre at the stadium.
A new home for the academy was signalled as part of the $15.7 million Logan Park redevelopment plan, initially released in 2005, and the cost would come from that budget.
The city agreed to provide the academy with a headquarters when Dunedin was picked as its South Island home.
Sparc confirmed a $1 million grant for the two-storey building.
The Dunedin City Council would meet the remainder of the cost.
Mr Hall said the Sparc funding had been received, and was being held by the council.
Consents were required for the building, although they were "simple", as it was in the "stadium zone" put in place by a plan change in 2008.
The cost of the building was unchanged since December, the plans had been drawn up, and the project was on time and within budget.
The stadium project delivery team was overseeing construction.
The building would be owned by Dunedin Venues Management and run by Dunedin Venues Management Ltd.
Mr Maister said the academy would occupy one end of the building, and the Highlanders the other.
Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry said he expected the facility, with input from the scientific community, the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic, along with technology work by Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor, could eventually attract more international interest than the stadium itself.
