I've been saying that for years. It's not a money-spinner Onehunga/Penrose. Downtown makes all the sense in the world. Let's face it, the council want cars gone, which makes it easier to walk around town. Easier to create a real vibe. It also makes sense to have Blues and Warriors at the same venue. Everyone wins.
General Mt Smart Stadium
- Thread starter wizard of Tauranga
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The issue is that suburban living is fucked. They created mini cities out of hypermarkets and malls like Warehouse and Westfield. They obviously had 20 minute cities in mind when they planned like this. They're going to make us drop cars in inner city areas. That will get rid of bottlenecks and free up public spaces. The issue you raise won't exist.
Personally I don't mind letting go of my car if it means more public gatherings. More epic events.
But how does the large south Auckland fanbase get to the stadium and back? They may want to get rid of cars from the CBD but the practicalities of that isn't going to work. The idea is great but there are some pretty significant downsides too.
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For me that's the logical plan. Get rid of the dead wood. Truth is petrol cars are on their way out anyway. But if you must have Speedway, then send them to Colin Dale. Waikaraka is fine where it is, industrial area, not bothering masses of residents. Western Springs is perfect for cricket.
There is a movement called the South Island Independence Movement. Apparently that is a middle finger to the north.Maybe one day the south island will become a state of Australia to give the two fingers to Auckland!
What's wrong with the domain?
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The idea would be for everyone to get to the central city by public transport. I know of the Southern Line train, would that work/not work for most? Buses out South any good?
There’s an old creek that used to run through the Domain, through the old Carlaw Park and down to the corner of Beach Road and The Strand. When they developed the Domain, they didn’t divert the creek or allow sufficient drainage. The playing fields in front of the Grandstand at the Domain has been a lake most of this year. This old waterway is also one of the reasons for Carlaw Park’s wet history.
Auckland’s rivers and wetlands were paved over. Now we are paying for it
Before colonisation and the urbanisation of Auckland, nearly every suburb in the city had its own river or wetland area.
www.renews.co.nz
Like when we first started in the Winfield Cup, the novelty factor alone will last the first year. If we're still winning, and I think we will be, people will enjoy going down town again.
The train from the Airport may also encourage out of towners to come also. The Huia train service from Hamilton is getting beefed up. I feel like this was the plan all along tbh.
These ideas are so embedded in the various council plans, I think it's inevitable. They're removing car park spaces rapidly in Hamilton City. Auckland City will look very different in the next few years. They didn't build that Precinct for nothing.
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Gosh you're so handy to have around. I forgot this used to be your thing. Thanks for that.There’s an old creek that used to run through the Domain, through the old Carlaw Park and down to the corner of Beach Road and The Strand. When they developed the Domain, they didn’t divert the creek or allow sufficient drainage. The playing fields in front of the Grandstand at the Domain has been a lake most of this year. This old waterway is also one of the reasons for Carlaw Park’s wet history.
Auckland’s rivers and wetlands were paved over. Now we are paying for it
Before colonisation and the urbanisation of Auckland, nearly every suburb in the city had its own river or wetland area.
Having a Waterfront Stadium would be a game-changer for me and the other 5-8,000 of us leaguies down here I could literally walk down to Frankton station in 5 minutes, jump on the train and be in the stadium within an hour and a half. Not a bad Friday or Saturday night! I could then come back same night pissed if I want to.
With Auckland population on the rise like crazy, those immigrants are more football mad than we are, you'd think we could get 30-40k for that. Blues 25-45k, Warriors 35k and 45k for finals. By the time it's built, the cost of living crisis will have eased somewhat. A lot of time, technology and money has been put into digital ID, public transport tagging on and off, and digital stadium passes. Trust me, the authorities want the public attending events in numbers.
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My oldest son played some of his mini league games on the field in front of the grandstand 20 years ago. The ingoal on the museum side would be a foot under water sometimes. Diving to score a try took on a new meaning.There’s an old creek that used to run through the Domain, through the old Carlaw Park and down to the corner of Beach Road and The Strand. When they developed the Domain, they didn’t divert the creek or allow sufficient drainage. The playing fields in front of the Grandstand at the Domain has been a lake most of this year. This old waterway is also one of the reasons for Carlaw Park’s wet history.
Auckland’s rivers and wetlands were paved over. Now we are paying for it
Before colonisation and the urbanisation of Auckland, nearly every suburb in the city had its own river or wetland area.
The article doesn't mention Mt Smart but it does talk about the possible future of North Harbour Stadium....
www.nzherald.co.nz
Auckland mayor's plan to replace North Harbour Stadium with smaller venue
A small stadium would be the kiss of death for North Harbour, says councillor John Watson.
Then if it’s anything like the train rides I had going to Big Day Put at Mt Smart in my teens those train rides it could get pretty wild with plenty of drinks flowing, hotboxing carriages and crowd surfing train conductors if the vibe is good on the way there (and is your sort of thing!)
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Worried2Death
Contributor
If only it was 25-30K capacity this would be perfect.
What sort of stadium is best for Auckland? Working group out to find answers
Eden Park, a downtown stadium and a sunken stadium in Waitemata Harbour are part of the latest attempt to solve Auckland’s long-running stadium strategy.Expressions of interest are out in the market for what a multi-purpose “Auckland Main Stadium” would look like for the city, says councillor Shane Henderson.
The sports fanatic was appointed by Mayor Wayne Brown to chair a “stadium venues political working group” to rationalise the city’s four stadiums - Go Media (Mt Smart), North Harbour, Western Springs and Eden Park.
Henderson said the issues have been going around in circles for many years and it’s time to define things and get some proposals to assess.
“We have had successive strategies, working groups and yarns on this topic, and there is a risk it ends up being one more yarn. That’s what I don’t want to happen,” he said.
With other councillors, Tātaki chief executive Nick Hill, a member of the Māori Statutory Board and Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle on board, he said the group is taking a narrow focus for a large stadium that can compete with others across the world. The independent Eden Park Trust is not represented in the group.
Henderson said there are various proposals floating around - “we hear about sunken stadiums and stuff like that” - and the aim is to define and narrow down what the needs are.
In May the Eden Park Trust released its “Eden Park 2.0″ uncosted plan to transform the stadium into a 60,000-capacity sport and entertainment precinct.
The proposal includes three new grandstands, a retractable roof and a pedestrian promenade that will cost hundreds of millions of dollars if not more than $1 billion.
Five years ago, a private consortium proposed a 70,000-seat, fully enclosed stadium sunk into the Waitemata Harbour with a floating roof above sea level costing about $2b.
Former Mayor Phil Goff discussed plans for a downtown stadium in 2018 with a rectangular football stadium for 25,000 spectators for Super Rugby Pacific and NRL matches, with a curtain on the top stands removed for All Blacks tests and other big events, to seat up to 55,000 spectators.
Last month, Hill said there is a need for a 10,000 to 15,000-seat stadium, and Brown suggested the North Harbour Stadium could be bulldozed next year.
The mayor has made it clear any stadium options will be at “no cost to ratepayers”.
Henderson said local government is cash-strapped and would need to look to central government for any new stadium proposals.
He hoped to have defined what Auckland needs by the end of the year. Expressions of interest for the Auckland Main Stadium close on September 18.
Bernard Orsman is an Auckland-based reporter who has been covering local government and transport since 1998. He joined the Herald in 1990 and worked in the parliamentary press gallery for six years.
What sort of stadium is best for Auckland? Working group out to find answers
The aim is to define what is best for Auckland, says councillor Shane Henderson
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Auckland Council budget and future of Eden Park and Mt Smart Stadium
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s long-term budget, due to be released in February, is set to throw a curveball into the future of the city’s two largest stadiums – Eden Park and Mt Smart Stadium.
It comes as the council remains tight-lipped about its preferred option for Auckland’s main stadium, however, emails unveil at least five proposals under consideration and disclosed details about meetings with interested parties.
The budget, outlining spending and financial plans for the next decade, is believed to starkly omit provisions for any improvements or enhancements to these sporting venues. The Herald understands the lack of financing would mean that any work done to develop them would have to be paid for by selling all or part of the land at North Harbour Stadium.
Brown is also thought to be supportive of American billionaire Bill Foley’s willingness to be involved in the development of a waterfront stadium.
On Wednesday, Brown revealed a fresh proposal on the table to replace North Harbour Stadium at Albany with a smaller one on the same site. Meanwhile, Foley, the billionaire owner of Auckland’s new A-League team, expressed his desire for a waterfront stadium within three years. Additionally, Eden Park presented a multimillion-dollar vision for a revamp in April, with reports of a waterfront stadium dating back to 2018.
In September, the council sought expressions of interest for proposals to envision a “future-proof multi-purpose stadium”, aiming to maximise economic benefits and prioritise the interests of Aucklanders.
The Herald requested information from the council on specific details about submissions under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act but these were withheld. However, released information included emails and reports shedding light on the situation.
Emails between Stu Mullin, mayor’s office head of governance and operations, Jazz Singh, head of finance and budget, and Simon Johnstone, who leads the management of relationships with key cultural and sporting organisations, on August 30 said in a draft email to the working group exploring matters relating to Auckland stadium venues the office was aware of five proposals, including Eden Park.
A separate email sent from Johnston to Mullin showed timelines and meetings regarding main stadium discussions:
What we asked for
The Herald asked for a range of information under the LGOIMA like details of each submission and any additional documents, reports, or assessments associated, as well as whether the council identified a preferred or favoured application.It requested, but not limited to, the following details:
- All submissions of interest received for the “Auckland Main Stadium” REOI, including attachments and associated documents, including details of each submission and any additional documents, reports, or assessments.
- Has the Auckland Council identified a preferred or favoured application or proposal among those received for the Auckland Main Stadium REOI?
- How does Auckland Council plan to fund the development of the main stadium as proposed in the REOI?
- s7(2)(b)(ii) would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information and;
- s7(2)(i) to enable any local authority holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).
Eden Park 2.0 vision
Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner presented the Eden Park 2.0 vision in an email to the mayor. The proposal, published shortly after the Herald published details on the revamp, envisions a 60,000-capacity (currently 50,000) sport and entertainment venue with “modernisation, sustainability, connectivity, and accessibility” at its core.It featured an all-weather retractable roof, a new north stand, upgrades to the east and west stands, and a new pedestrian bridge over Sandringham Rd.
Sautner emphasised, “Eden Park 2.0 delivers a world‐class, multi‐purpose hybrid stadium venue that not only showcases the best sporting, entertainment, cultural and community events but also promotes sustainability and innovation.”
Arena Aotearoa by Waterfront Consortium
The Waterfront Consortium, comprised of professional consulting firms, plans to build Arena Aotearoa at Bledisloe Wharf. The stadium, with a projected cost of $1.8 billion, boasts a permanent seating capacity of 50,000 (scalable to 70,000) and aims to be completed within 10 years at no cost to ratepayers and taxpayers.It would be built partly on reclaimed land and partly sunk into the seabed. Other features are a floating roof above sea level to reduce the loss of harbour views and the removal of Captain Cook Wharf, currently used for car imports.
In its stakeholder information pack it said the cost would be met initially by a provider of the ignition funding “ideally the Government”, but would be repaid up front by the preferred developer.
“The Consortium is doing this because we love our City. We want to create a legacy for our children and grandchildren, and we have the skills and experience to do so. The Consortium members are not looking to make any net financial gain out of this project. We have conceived it and, so far, have invested six years and over $3 million of our own time and cash, and we very much want to bring this to fruition.”
It claimed Arena Aotearoa would have direct economic benefits GST of an estimated $3 billion while additionally increasing land values in the nearby area.
- March 28 – [Redacted] at Terrace Cafe 2pm to discuss the consortium he is leading. An intro from Nick Hill.
- March 29 – Michael Sage at Simpson Grierson 2pm to discuss the Waterfront Arena. An intro through deputy mayor Simpson, who had received a call through her office to meet. Desley asked if I could instead. This option hit the media in 2018.
- March 30 – [Redacted]. chair of Eden Park Trust, requested a meeting on Eden Park 2.0 presentation at Nottinghill Kitchen Cafe 8am.
- March 30 – [Redacted] requested a meeting about a stadium opportunity, location unidentified, if the Auckland Council had the appetite to consider outside Eden Park and Waterfront Arena.
Luke Kirkness is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He previously covered consumer affairs for the Herald and was an assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.
Emails exposed: The inside track on Auckland's stadium proposals
The budget is set to throw a curveball into the future of the city’s two largest stadiums.
