Council poised over the light switch

Cricket fans are marshalling their forces because Monday is D-Day.

It's the last chance to show support for lighting up the Bay Oval.


Bay of Plenty Cricket Trust general manager Kelvin Jones is calling upon cricket fans to show their support.

Tauranga City Council's just about finished considering its draft annual plan for next year – and the Bay Oval lights are one of the final things on that agenda.

Bay of Plenty Cricket Trust general manager Kelvin Jones says the trust needs help from cricket fans because it's very close to obtaining funding.

'One final show of support could get us there.”

The council will decide on the lights issue at a meeting at 9am on Monday.

The lights come with a $2million price tag – something the Bay Cricket Trust doesn't have and Tauranga City Council may be reluctant to provide.

The council delayed a decision until it learned New Zealand Cricket's fixture list for next summer - that is just how many games had been allocated to Bay Park.

It's a chicken and egg situation because cricket enthusiasts say cricket's administration would be more inclined to give games to the Bay Oval if the lights were already in place.

And the trust believes the lights are a pre-requisite 'to book its ticket to regular international fixtures”.

The trust says it's important those who appreciate the economic and social benefits of bringing a spectacle like day/night cricket to town take the time to show their support at Monday morning's council meeting.

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10 comments

Lights project cost?

Posted on 27-05-2016 13:06 | By Murray.Guy

Sunlive last wrote: The estimated total project cost is $4.5 million. It is above reported as $2 million. Where has the other $2.5 million gone? So it's a numbers game as well as cricket. Turn up in numbers and watch the worm turn!


Fans should bring their money

Posted on 27-05-2016 15:38 | By Councillorwatch

Instead of marshalling forces these cricket fans should marshall their money. Hands off ratepayers precious funds. But in reply to Murray Guy, it's a pity under your council ratepayers chucked in about $5 million to Baypark and even bought a Speedway business. Is it likely cricket fans want ratepayers money just as much as Baypark??


Schedule

Posted on 27-05-2016 17:05 | By Taffy

Well wasn,t that worth changing the meeting on this to Mon.So next year we get 2T20 games against Bangladesh 6/! & 8/1 following year 3 games we get these regardless of lights Q if lights were there would we get anymore? According to the submission the cost to install is $2.75m BOP Cricket want 915k from council with 915k from CAG and almost another $1m to come from private funding for what ,maybe an extra couple of matches if we are lucky.TCC don,t do it.


Why wait....

Posted on 27-05-2016 19:15 | By Jimmy Ehu

The match schedule is out, there will be 2 X 20/20 matches played at Blake Park against Bangladesh, that is the allocation, hardly worth spending 4.5 million on lights, it was never going to happen, now Bay Cricket get over yourselves and concentrate on making the 2 events you have enjoyable to the "punters"


Hmmmm

Posted on 27-05-2016 22:11 | By How about this view!

Don't let's forget the hospitality kickbacks..... Surely a few free ales and a chat with an ex-player or cheerleader for the cause, would be worth a few million of ratepayer money. Will look good in the album for the grand-kids as well. meanwhile all the parents of aspiring sportsmen/women pay twice to keep their childrens' idols in the spotlight.


you're a corrupt idiot Councillorwatch

Posted on 28-05-2016 00:56 | By Murray.Guy

The $5 million you refer to was NOT for Baypark and NOT as a ratepayer subsidy of a solitary sport. Council built the multi code ASB Arena for $41million and gave it and the debt to Bay Venues Limited. BVL were NOT able to generate the income to pay off the ratepayer debt it inherited and Council very generously reduced the debt with a $5 million contribution. But you knew that didn't you Councillorwatch and just 'get off' on being a recidivist agitator.


Build it and they'll come?

Posted on 28-05-2016 10:45 | By Crash test dummies

That is what he is saying, what a joke, Robert Muldoon did that with "Think Big" and that was a huge financial disaster for the entire country, no exceptions. This lighting fiasco is no better for sure.


match fixing

Posted on 28-05-2016 10:46 | By Crash test dummies

So if there are already 2 games here then obviously don't need the lights, so the $4.5m is all a waste of time even thinking about.


@ Councillorwatch

Posted on 28-05-2016 10:48 | By Crash test dummies

They don't want to spend there own money they want to spend others money.


Councillorwatch agitates Murray

Posted on 29-05-2016 12:30 | By Councillorwatch

I'm not sure how my reminding readers of the huge expenditure on Baypark when you were a councillor, makes me a "corrupt idiot." Your sport seems to involve car racing. Others sport involves cricket and so the list goes on. Lots of these groups want money out of ratepayers pockets. I also pointed out that council at one point even bought a Speedway business. Can you direct us to the minutes that show which way you voted on the $5 million cash injection to Baypark and the purchase of the Speedway?


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