By KEVIN TAYLOR
HAMILTON - The Waikato Rugby Union has offered to underwrite any cash shortage for Hamilton's $30.3 million twin-stadium project.
The project is still about $1.7 million short as the deadline looms for the start of work in time for the 2001 NPC rugby season. Union chief executive Garry Dawson
said yesterday that the union was anxious for construction to begin this month so the rugby ground would be ready by the start of the 2001 NPC season.
He said the union had not committed itself completely to the underwriting offer, as it was not yet known exactly how much the financial shortage was.
However, the Waikato Stadium Trust said yesterday that it was confident it would not need anyone to underwrite the project.
Spokesman John Parker welcomed the union's offer but said others had also made the offer, although he would not say who.
The trust was confident anyway that it would not need any underwriters, as it was working on getting contributions from other sources.
Hamilton City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt said the council had called a meeting for next Thursday to consider its $9 million contribution.
He said the stadium trust wanted the contractor to start work on the site on October 16.
The council's stadium working party would present a report and recommendations to councillors, Mr Marryatt said.
The council had set a series of conditions that must be met before it would release its money, including that a business plan be produced and that all money be in place.
Mr Parker said the business plan was due to be shown to the project's three main backers next week.
As well as the council, the others are Trust Waikato ($9 million) and the WEL Energy Trust ($6 million).
Mr Parker did not expect any snags in getting final approval.
