KEY POINTS:
Tender documents for the upgrade of Eden Park are to go out today amid concerns that the deadline is so tight that the project might not be ready for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Jonathan Ling, chief executive of New Zealand's biggest construction firm, Fletcher Building, yesterday said that unless cup organisers made a decision soon "no construction company will want it because it won't be able to be finished in time".
Fletcher Building has been shortlisted for the $190 million project. Two other companies are thought to be also in the running.
Eden Park Redevelopment Board chief executive Adam Feeley was surprised by the comments, saying all the shortlisted companies had been kept up to date with the tender process and a contract was to be awarded in December.
Fletcher Building infrastructure chief executive Mark Binns was also surprised, saying he expected to receive tender documents late yesterday or today. The company had until December to present a tender.
"We think it [the Eden Park project] is achievable. We wouldn't be putting our hand up if we thought it was going to be a failure, because this would be the worst PR disaster in Christendom if you don't make it," he said.
"We believe that the comments have been taken out of context. Fletcher Construction, as one of the short-listed contractors for the project, is expecting proposal documentation from the Eden Park Redevelopment Board tomorrow. We will be submitting a bid, and clearly would not do so if we thought the project could not be completed on time.
"Jonathan's comments just reinforced the fact that a tight timeframe had to be met."
Mr Ling said other projects supposed to be completed before the cup would not be finished unless they were started soon.
The cup would attract about 70,000 visitors from overseas, he said.
"It's reasonable to expect that a high percentage of the audience will be visitors who will rely on public transport to run around.
"So getting a lot of that infrastructure working properly is important - not only to the stadium, but also in getting around Auckland."
One touch-and-go project is the electrification of the Auckland suburban rail network.
The Auckland Regional Transport Authority is pushing to have some lines electrified by 2011, but the Government does not share its enthusiasm for meeting this deadline.
The debate over who will pay for Eden Park's upgrade is unresolved.
New Auckland City Mayor John Banks has promised to pull $30 million of ratepayers' money from the upgrade, but is prepared to commit $20 million for work around the park.
The Government has promised to underwrite the $190 million after other funding sources have been exhausted.
The Rugby Union has committed $10 million, and the Eden Park Trust Board has talked of putting in $60 million.
* CRUNCH DATES
December 2007: Preliminary design completed.
August 2008: South and south-west stands demolished.
November-December 2008: Construction begins.
December 2010: Construction complete.
March-April 2011: Temporary seating installed.
September-October 2011: Rugby World Cup.
October-November 2011: Temporary seating removed.
* Additional reporting - NZPA
