Business View Oceania | September 2022

23 24 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9 I LT STADIUM SOUTHLAND does has its drawbacks, Nigel explains. “We are in a critical period now where we have to decide whether we are a commercial or community entity. Obviously, there needs to be some financial return to what we’re doing, and we are largely community funded at this stage. The stadium’s offering has changed dramatically over the last year or so- in 2021, we strategically planned for an event a month over the year. Now in 2022, we have already seen something like 80 events, and the year isn’t over yet. Events have become the financial backbone for the venue, so the challenge for us now is to maintain a balance so that our community can continue to enjoy events of all kinds but come in and have their regularly scheduled sports as they always have.” The team behind ILT Stadium’s success values trust, openness, and respect. Josephine elaborates, “We have positive, genuine relationships amongst staff and a really wonderful culture. A recent example would be when we held the National gymnastics competition. It was all hands-on deck- management were stepping in and making coffees and sandwiches alongside the school- age staff. You know you’re entering a great working environment when you look around and see things like that. It’s a dynamic that is recognised by our patrons, too.” ILT Stadium works hard to provide opportunities for school-age workers and young people from the local community. A strong mentoring system, Nigel says, is key to the cross-training of each team member. “Our instructors know how to work reception, and vice-versa. I’ve even been known to jump on the till every now and again if it’s needed. This means we are able to cover shifts easier if someone’s out sick, but it also deepens our understanding of and respect for each other’s roles, especially from a management perspective.” Investment in technology is currently on management’s minds in the form of interactive sports walls. ILT Stadium is keen to combine physical activity with education; digital wall setups display interactive games, where players can break a sweat while practicing a skill or learning something new. As well as providing a new activity for the venue, technology like this has the potential to be hireable as an extra income stream, Nigel explains. He elaborates on the stadium’s other recent uses of technology: “Something positive that has risen out of our time during lockdown is our online engagement. We are very active on social media; we film behind the scenes activities like re-sanding and covering our courts, and our audience loves it. We are out there on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok- we have quite the following! It’s a really important step in keeping the stadium on everyone’s minds. Nigel and Josephine would like to conclude by extending their gratitude to the many suppliers, collaborators, and community organisations that make everything ILT Stadium does possible. Particular thanks goes out to The Invercargill Licensing Trust, Community Trust South, The Invercargill City Council, and the Southland District Council. PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n VAST Billboards www.vastbillboards.co.nz At Vast, we strive to make digital billboard marketing accessible to a wider audience, without compromising on service, flexibility or the latest technology.