Prime Minister John Key officially marked the controversial upgrade of Hagley Oval in Christchurch with a sod turning ceremony on Tuesday.
The Hadlee Pavilion is expected to be finished by September next year.
A grass embankment will also be built up around the cricket pitch before the ground hosts three matches in the 2015 cricket World Cup.
In August this year, the Environment Court gave the green light to plans to develop Hagley Oval as an international cricket stadium, despite a challenge by a broad range of people.
