High Court action over stadium roof collapse

Invercargill City Council chief executive Richard King

Invercargill City Council is being sued in the High Court for $27 million over the collapse of the roof of Stadium Southland under heavy snow last year.

Council chief executive Richard King said the Southland Indoor Leisure Centre Charitable Trust was claiming about $27m from the engineer involved in construction of the stadium.

"The trust also claims against the council for the same loss," Mr King said.

The council's insurers had instructed their solicitors, who had advised on a preliminary basis, that it was highly unlikely the council would have any liability.

"The matter will now proceed through the formal channels associated with the court proceedings but we hope it will be at an end very shortly," Mr King said.

The roof of the $10m stadium collapsed in a snowstorm last September 18, sparking a controversy over the quality of its initial design and remedial work done to fix problems.

In March, six months after the collapse, work started on construction of a new, stronger stadium, to be completed within a year.

The building site features a sponsored "countdown clock", allowing the public to compare progress as time ticks down to its opening next March 30.

- NZPA