Crusaders' bosses have distanced themselves from their coaching teams' criticism of Christchurch officials around the planned stadium.
A concept of how the new stadium might look. Photo: Supplied
But a Christchurch city councillor believes community leaders need to take some accountability and council flak on the stadium plans is justified.
The city council has been blamed for its management of the project after a $150 million budget blowout was revealed last week.
Coaches for the Christchurch-based Super Rugby franchise also joined the debate over the past week.
Head coach Scott Robertson urged community leaders to be brave and get on with the project.
Forwards coach Jason Ryan was even more direct during a Crusaders media stand-up before Friday's semifinal match against the Chiefs.
Ryan labelled the council's management of the project as "shambolic" and raised doubts over the mayor's desire for the facility.
"I'm not sure Lianne Dalziel has ever wanted one [a new stadium]," he said.
"What's it going to take?"
Community consultation on the $680 million project has begun, with residents being asked whether plans should proceed, reconsidered, or scrapped altogether.
Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge acknowledged it was a difficult project to navigate.
"It's a big, complex and expensive project," he said.
"It's very clear that a long period of time has passed since this idea was put in the blueprint so people are frustrated with those delays.
"That's where the passion is coming from."
He said criticism of the city's mayor was misplaced.
"There was a couple of years where we might've lost our way but I don't think you can complain about how the council has been speaking for a multi-use arena, in the last two or three years especially."
Dalziel defended the timeline of the project at Thursday's meeting.
"There has been an element of the debate that has occurred outside of this place which has been vaguely frustrating," she said.
Aaron Keown Photo: RNZ / Conan Young
"I've tried to take a position to support the building of the stadium right from the very start, but with the context of getting a really good deal for the city."
Councillor Aaron Keown said the mayor was deflecting blame on the issue.
"It's unacceptable that the stadium, which was meant to be finished in 2017, will be delivered nearly ten years later," he said.
"So the people who are complaining about that timeline are totally justified.
"When you get a change in governance. you get a change in delivery and unfortunately the change here [in 2013] delayed things...it didn't speed them up."
He said he would be disappointed if tens of thousands of ratepayers did not make a submission during consultation on the project.