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A sod-turning ceremony and official site blessing to mark the start of early works on Canterbury’s $533 million stadium project has been held today - against a backdrop of pressures over building costs and schedules.

However, as civic leaders gathered at the Christchurch CBD site where the Te Kaha venue will sit in advance of site preparation work - set to begin in the coming weeks - project Chairman Barry Bragg said the 30,000 seat stadium project is facing “enormous pressure” over materials costs and that it will also be a challenge to get the facility open by mid-2025.

With the venue nearing the end of its design work, it is less than three months until Christchurch City Councillors will be asked to approve the final contract for the project, which will also contain the final cost.

The Council currently has $533 million set aside for the project.

Bragg, the Chairman of the company governing the stadium project, said the budget and opening date were under pressure and being reviewed monthly, noting “that’ll give us a better idea of what the final numbers are going to be.

“But it is fair to say that those numbers are under enormous pressure at the moment

“We’d like to give some more definitive responses on how it’s shaping up, but we really can’t do that until all that information comes in.”

Bragg also said the mid-2025 opening date would be challenging to meet, adding “there is no question about it, in today’s environment with supply chain, materials, labour, it will be challenging.”

Announcing that early site preparation works will commence in the coming weeks, David Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Te Kaha stadium company which is building the venue, noted “with early works beginning on site imminently, the vision of an incredible multi-use arena is now coming to life. “The early works and ground preparation are being done in advance, in order to streamline the process and enable contractors to hit the ground with construction as soon as the Council approves the design and construction contract in August.”

The covered stadium has been designed by the Kōtui consortium, led by BESIX Watpac, and will be constructed on a three block area of land in the centre of Christchurch.

Images: Concepts for the Te Kaha stadium.

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