Larry Williams Drive

Christchurch Council needs to bite the bullet and sign off on that stadium. There is little point in going out for public consultation on it. A budget blow-out of $150m is pretty extreme but the stadium is hardly going to get much cheaper. That stadium will only get more expensive to build. If the public or the council says no, they'll only have to come back to this very decision in another ten or 11 years because Christchurch needs a stadium, as any city does. That’s proud rugby country there. How on earth could we leave the mighty Crusaders without a decent home stadium? It’s fair enough to say that it’s tough economic times and the Council needs to tighten its belt like everyone else but if things are going to be cut out of the budget it should be nice to haves not need to haves. And I would argue a stadium is a need to have for the income it will generate for Christchurch in events for years and years to come. You don’t have a stadium; you’re not going to get as many fans turning out at games and you’re n