Focusing on hosting as many large events as possible at the new stadium in the future, City Council extended the deadline for construction proposals. The new $473 million multi-use arena in Christchurch is scheduled to open by the end of 2024, with the first works in the beginning of 2021.

Christchurch City Council and the Crown have formally signed off on a joint funding agreement for a new stadium in the city. Both sides agreed to invest a total $473 million towards the cost of the build. The council has committed $253 mln and the government funding - $220m. Early works on the stadium are expected to begin on site in 2021.

The investment case aimed to attract international and national events, the venue will need to be equipped with a roof for year-round events, a minimum seating capacity of 25,000 (with the potential to add temporary seats equal to 5,000); fixed rectangular pitch and world-class quality acoustics.

Christchurch City Council has also appointed the company which manages the everyday construction. CMUA Project Delivery Ltd (from the interim name of Canterbury Multi Use Arena) will be an entity directly responsible for the final delivery, currently including overseeing the process of bids collection and selection of a contractor.

Deadline for constructors’ proposals extended

Christchurch City Council published a Request for Proposal on the Government’s Electronic Tender Service (GETS) for the construction and design of the Canterbury Multi-Use Arena (CMUA). The six-week bid should have closed in mid-November, now extended till January 29, 2021. Alistair Pearson from the City Council explained that the companies submitting proposals asked for such extension.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is the first stage of a 3 stage procurement for the CMUA, which is summarised as follows:

• 1st Stage: RFP, leading to selection of a design and construct contractor (Contractor).

• 2nd Stage: Pre Contract Services Agreement (PCSA) under which the selected Contractor (collaboratively with the Principal) progressively develops the design and associated Principal’s Requirements, and updates and confirms its estimate for a D&C Contract Price that is no more than the pre disclosed maximum price (Maximum D&C Contract Price). At the conclusion of this stage, the Contractor submits a final bid for the D&C Contract (Final Bid) which includes all of the Final Bid Deliverables specified in the PCSA (and which have been developed through the process set out in the PCSA).

• 3rd Stage: D&C Contract; following submission of the Final Bid, if the Principal (at its discretion) elects to accept the Final Bid, the parties enter into the D&C Contract for delivery of the D&C Contract Works under the NZS 3916:2013 (Conditions of contract for building and civil engineering - Design and construct) based conditions of contract and other documents submitted with the Final Bid.

The procedure aims to find the best contractor using the Design and Construct (D&C) method. It is a widely accepted project delivery way and contract form primarily used for major construction contracts, including sport stadiums and multi-purpose venues. Under a D&C contract however, the same entity is responsible for commissioning the design of the project and the actual physical build.

The approved contractor will be announced next March. GETS would like to receive responses separated by price and non price components. It is requested for all bid Respondents to nominate their proposed Design & Construct team, including their construction management personnel and design team(s), but not sub-contractors or suppliers at that stage.

All preparations continue at pace

Only last week the City Council has closed several streets near the new stadium area. It lets eliminate or change street lights, power and internet cables. Underground service pipes can be removed or rerouted before early works can begin. Staff are also working on an integrated transport assessment. It will investigate how the scheduled work and finished arena will affect pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and private motor vehicles, and ensure any negative effects are addressed.

“The project teams are moving forward in earnest and are ensuring early development and planning milestones are met,” said deputy mayor Andrew Turner. “Before early works begin a significant amount of work needs to happen behind the scenes, and it is excellent to see that work continuing at pace, on time and within budget.”

A new covered venue is the largest single investment in a community facility in the city of Christchurch, second-most populous urban area in New Zealand after Auckland and before Wellington. The stadium is one of the anchor projects included in the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan.

The strategy is a vision for central Christchurch to be vibrant and well-formed, to attract people to live, work, play, learn, stay and invest. It was written and published after the 2011 earthquakes which significantly damaged the almost 40,000 seats stadium at Lancaster Park - one of the largest venues across New Zealand.

Author: Karol Tatar