Stadium Southland

Stadium Southland is an international sports complex in Invercargill, New Zealand. The stadium was completed in May 2000. The main SBS Sports Arena in the stadium has a capacity of 4,500, with temporary seating. The stadium also has eleven other community basketball, netball, and volleyball courts, four rebound Ace tennis courts, four squash courts and several business rooms.

In September 2010, a heavy snowfall caused a roof to collapse, also causing substantial structural damage to the complex. The rebuild is currently underway, and is expected to be ready in time for the 2012 sports season, for the Southern Steel and Southland Sharks.^[1] A temporary facility has been set up in the attaching Invercargill ILT Velodrome, which was unharmed and will host the Steel and the Sharks for 2011.

Home teams

The stadium is home for the Southern Steel netball team in the ANZ Championship, and formerly the champion winning Southern Sting in the now defunct National Bank Cup netball league. In 2010 the stadium made room for another franchise, the Zero Fees Southland Sharks in the New Zealand National Basketball League. The fans who stream into the matches involving the Steel and Sharks have been labelled the best and are known for their vocal presence in matches.

Velodrome

The Invercargill ILT Velodrome is a sports complex built onto Stadium Southland. The $11,000,000 building can hold 1,050 people and has become the home of the Oceania Contenint Cup, Under 19 World Championships, New Zealand National Champs and other events. The Velodrome is the only indoor velodrome in New Zealand.

Roof collapse

At about 11.25 am, on 18 September 2010, the roof on the stadium collapsed following a heavy snowfall.^[2] The cost of repairs is likely to run into millions of dollars^[3], with events as far as two years in the future needing to be cancelled.^[1] An open day was held for locals in which messages were written on walls, staff talking about their memories of the stadium and a chance to ask questions. A article in The Southland Times was published asking for peoples ideas for the what the new stadium could be like. Top requests included a skating rink, which is unlikey, the other more seating in the new stadium for big events like the netball and basketball. The stadium currently holds 4,500 at maximum capacity, but manager Nigel Skelt says since ten years has past, other stadiums have developed and Stadium Southland needs to have the ability to hold 5,000 for big events in the future.

The Stadium Review Committee found that the roof collapse was due to inadequate workmanship, low building code requirements and unusually heavy snow fall.^[4]

Events held

References