Hawke’s Bay Regional Sports Park Trust
Wednesday 25 March 2009
Media Release

Changes to Sports Park management and operations

Fundraising and project management of the Regional Sports Park will be managed directly by the Sports Park Trust in future. Up until now Kelt Capital has undertaken these roles.

“Kelt Capital is a major contributor to the Hawke’s Bay community. The task of getting the Sports Park to this stage has been considerable and they have done a really tremendous job, meeting all milestones in a very difficult economic environment. However we have differences relating to the future management of the project and as a consequence the Trust will take direct responsibility for funding and project management,” says Trustee Rex Graham.

Mr Graham said he was not prepared to go into any detail regarding the management differences because it did nothing to advance the project. “There’ll be a handful of detractors who will try and make mileage out of this but our focus is the overwhelming majority who just want to get on with it [development of the park].”

Mr Graham said the Trust would be dealing directly with the existing project team and would have a particular focus on getting the grandstand underway. Grandstand construction was due to commence about now but has been delayed by a judicial review of the consent process for the grandstand and athletics track. The review was initiated by a ‘Land Protection Society’ which has said it wants the $2 million track ripped up and shifted.

“The irony of the judicial review is that it has galvanised support for the project. People are outraged that a few individuals think they can bulldoze the athletics track,” says Mr Graham

Mr Graham said the Trust would also take direct responsibility for fundraising in the short term at least.

“Funding for the first two stages is well advanced but cannot be confirmed until projects such as the grandstand are underway. We’ll be able to give regular funding updates once we have the all clear” he says.

ENDS

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