Cr Jan Wheeler, of Moeraki, voted against receiving the 154-page Sport Otago indoor stadium feasibility study, or considering consulting on a preferred option as part of the 2018-28 long-term plan, at the Waitaki District Council's community services committee yesterday.
Cr Wheeler, who is deputy chairwoman of the committee, said the study had ''quite a few gaps'' and the costs indicated for a preferred stadium - between $22.2million to $24.6million if it was built in 2020 - were ''outrageous''.
The council only had a roughly $30million annual rates take, she said.
Sport Otago's Waitaki District Sport and Recreation Needs Assessment and Indoor Recreation Centre Feasibility study said the six-court complex would be a ''true sports 'hub'''.
It was expected to feature two sprung wooden courts, four synthetic courts and six squash courts and would occupy the car park and the site of the existing Excelsior Clubroom at Centennial Park.
Cr Melanie Tavendale said the report's preferred options should not be viewed as a council position, ''just a Sport Otago one''.
She said there had been ''lots of calls from the community [for an indoor sports complex]'' and preparing for a public consultation early next year would be a ''first step''.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said there remained ''many, many options about how we do this'' and that the preferred site may bring ''a lot of extra costs''.
In an email from Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble to Mr Kircher at the weekend, provided to the Otago Daily Times after yesterday's meeting, Mr Brimble noted the preferred option was the ''absolute optimum in terms of standard of build and range of features''.
Keeping the stadium at Centennial Park but shifting the site to behind the grandstand ''would negate the need for additional car parks'' as existing parking could remain.
The study listed options for a stadium that ranged from the high estimate of $25million down to $10million.
Mr Kircher noted the council had options as the project progressed to public consultation that could limit the amount the council spent on the project, including a cap on council spending.
Addressing Cr Wheeler's concerns, he said the council must consider it would continue to have an elderly ratepayer base if it did not spend on projects that would attract ''young people'' to the district.
Mr Brimble, who was not at yesterday's meeting, defended the cost estimates in the study.
''We worked to the brief and the discussions we had with the steering group . . . and that was to provide a realistic costing,'' he said.
''So, I believe that's what we've done.
''If you went for the absolute, we've said that's how much it would cost and you could scale it back from there.''
