Plans for a new arena in Bristol have been put on hold while the city council carries out a review.
It says building the arena to its current design on the proposed site will cost significantly more than the latest £123m estimate and Mayor Marvin Rees said he could not commit to it 'at any cost'.
However he remained '100% committed' to the project despite preliminary works being paused while the review considers other locations, designs and opportunities for private finance.
Mayor Rees said consultants had done a good job preparing the project but now it was 'right to look at every available option, along with the benefits and drawbacks of each.'
He said: 'We can’t commit to the current design on this specific site at any cost and I wouldn’t want that kind of blinkered approach to become the arena’s undoing.
'A lot of work continues to go into the project and this pause shouldn’t be mistaken for a backwards step.
'We’re operating to the same decision-making timeline that’s been previously announced.
'This is about doing the sensible thing in looking at all of the possibilities and being open minded about where the advice received takes us.
'Whatever happens the arena will become reality and we remain on-track for a report to cabinet in January.'
