By Dave Goosselink
The rebuild of Stadium Southland is underway after the stadium roof collapsed last year under heavy snow, but increased costs have led to a multi-million dollar shortfall.
Invercargill businessman Louis Crimp is willing to donate $2 million to ensure the project stays on track, but that money comes with a condition – the signage on the stadium changes.
Mr Crimp, who is having radiation therapy for skin cancer, says before he’ll make the donation the Invercargill Licensing Trust (ILT) signage has to come off the stadium.
The velodrome beside the stadium was built with money from the ILT, which has a monopoly over the sale of alcohol and gaming machines in the city, and has thwarted numerous attempts by Mr Crimp to open his own outlets.
Mr Crimp says “money from pokie machines is supposed to be given away” and the ILT isn’t doing this.
“That’s not giving it away when they're advertising themselves [and] how marvellous they are,” he says.
The trust which owns the stadium is ready to accept Mr Crimp's conditions provided the ILT agrees to have its signage removed.
The ILT’s trust meets tomorrow to decide whether losing their branding is worth the $2 million boost for the city's stadium.
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