Stadium

Everything from crafts to curios will be for sale at Dunedin's first Stadium Market in October.

Headline acts and headline-grabbing financial problems have dominated the first year of operation at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium, but the crowds are continuing to flood in. Chris Morris reports.

Any plans for a roofed stadium in Christchurch were far from certain and likely to be at least 10 years away, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says.

Dunedin ratepayers are on the right side of the scoreboard, despite receiving just a fraction of what had been hoped for from last month's North-South charity rugby clash, Mayor Dave Cull insists.

The finances of the company running Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium look set to improve after cost-cutting and a cash injection from the Dunedin City Council.

Changes inside Forsyth Barr Stadium are expected to provide a much-needed revenue boost, as well as giving television viewers a new view of the ground.

In November, the country comes to town in all its western finery for the International Rodeo. Shane Gilchrist discusses broncos, bulls and a few bucks with those in the know.

Ladies and gentlemen, raise your Globelets.

First came Elton John, and cowboys will soon move in, but the latest announcement concerning the Forsyth Barr Stadium has a more local flavour.

Dunedin will host the world's largest indoor rodeo show outside Las Vegas, followed by New Zealand-exclusive performances from bands like The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Bruno Mars, an international event promoter says.

Rates hikes, increased debt levels or cuts to services remain a risk for the Dunedin City Council as it grapples with uncertainty over the Forsyth Barr Stadium, Audit New Zealand warns.

Peter Attwooll, a vociferous critic of the Forsyth Barr stadium, takes issue with Prof Sir David Skegg's views about negativity in the city.

The Otago Regional Council will consider cutting Forsyth Barr Stadium's estimated rates bill by more than half to $74,900 at its meeting tomorrow.

The University of Otago has questioned the inclusion of $900,000 the Dunedin City Council spent on the western wall of Forsyth Barr Stadium as "unexpected costs", saying it was part of the council's budget for the project "from day 1".

Failings within the Dunedin City Council are to be scrutinised after an independent review criticised budget blowouts and unauthorised spending within the Forsyth Barr Stadium construction project.

The final cost of the Forsyth Barr Stadium has risen to $224 million, after independent auditors uncovered a budget blow-out of more than $8 million, it has been confirmed.