Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive David Davies said he had heard nothing from World Cup organisers about staging an additional game and until he had, discussing hosting extra matches would be only speculation.
The stadium was able to host a quarterfinal, but there were doubts the city had enough accommodation to host the fans.
The Daily Telegraph in the United Kingdom said yesterday an engineering report on AMI Stadium in Christchurch painted a bleak picture and the two quarterfinals to be played there would be transferred to Auckland.
The English team, which was to be based in Christchurch, would switch to Auckland and its game against Argentina, scheduled for Christchurch on September 10, would now be played in Dunedin, the report said.
Davies said yesterday he had heard of the reports but, as far as he was concerned, there was nothing concrete decided yet.
‘‘We haven't heard anything and until we do, we won't be doing anything. It is pretty clear that they want to make sure they have all the information from the engineers before they make any decision,'' he said.
‘‘We can hold most games they might want to throw at us. But until something is said to us, then it is all speculation.''
Prime Minister John Key said yesterday reports on AMI Stadium were still being studied and no decision had been made. He said it was still possible it could host matches.
The tournament is underwritten by the Government and the New Zealand Rugby Union and its only revenue source is from selling tickets.
With a revamped Eden Park able to cater for 60,000 spectators, Auckland appears to be the logical venue for the quarterfinals. But that will mean the final three weeks of the tournament will be all played in the North Island, as Wellington hosts the other quarterfinals. Auckland would host the semifinals, the third playoff and the final.
Davies said the tournament organisers would have insurance to cover the losses of the games being moved from Christchurch.
‘‘Therefore, the monetary side of it is taken out of it.''
He said there would be conflicting pressures on where to house the quarterfinals if they had to be moved. The Forsyth Barr Stadium could handle hosting a quarterfinal, and other venues in the top of the North Island would want to be involved.
‘‘The thought of not having a quarterfinal in the South Island is sure to cause some comment. If everything from the quarterfinals on goes up to the North Island, then I'm sure there will be some sadness around that.''
The quarterfinals in Christchurch were likely to involve the All Blacks, England and France.
Southern rugby officials did not seek a quarterfinal because the stadium had a capacity of only 30,000, 5000 fewer than the minimum capacity stipulated.
Mr Key doubted there was enough accommodation in Dunedin to cater for a quarterfinal.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton agreed, saying there was simply not enough high-level accommodation to cater for a quarterfinal. The city simply did not have enough four-star-plus hotel rooms.
‘‘Looking at hotel stock, we have just over 600 hotel rooms, while, for example, Christchurch has 3000 in the CBD which are unable to be used,'' Saxton said.
‘‘To say finding enough accommodation is a huge challenge would be a huge understatement.''
