It’s a start and there is no financial commitment from council and Govt.
I’d take the view that its an opportunity to showcase what could be achieved with a percent build.
General Mt Smart Stadium
- Thread starter wizard of Tauranga
- Start date
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Only cost to council would be the land. I'm just not sure what it would achieve to be honest. To small for the Warriors to play there. Still have Mr Smart and Eden Park sucking up funding. How do we get to a situation where we have one rectangular stadium that accommodates the Auckland based teams?
JustLikeStartingOver
Contributor
call in the debt the trust has on eden park and turn it into townhouses, thats got to raise a fair chunk of cash.
mt smart stays until the thing is built then scale that back down into a grass roots or secondary facility.
not an aucklander, but have doubts everyone is going to want to public transport themselves into the CBD on a friday night or sunday afternoon to get to the wahs or blues.
is there a secondary town center thats a bit more accessible for the south and west they could target?
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The biggest hurdle is admitting that building anything bigger than a 30000 seat stadium is not viable.
Please nobody even suggest we need bigger for the occasional one off AB’s game. Recent history has shown that 2 back to back AB’s tests in Auckland could only get a full house once, the other in the high 20 thousands.
I agree, but 15k-20k is just a bit too small.
I agree with
miket12 (I think it was him?) Having a maybe 40k seat two tier stadium that you can shut off the top tier for crowds less than say 25kIt is promising that we have wealthy investors wanting to get things moving but it still needs to be the right move for the city
Camera shots of empty terraces are not a good look. If you're ever going to shut off a tier because the game isn't a big deal (hello, Wests Tigers!), you don't want to cut off the section that the cameras look at.
But it is a good look to have camera shots of a full stadium - which is much easier to get the lower the capacity, obviously. I'd go for a 30k seater at most.
But it is a good look to have camera shots of a full stadium - which is much easier to get the lower the capacity, obviously. I'd go for a 30k seater at most.
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The problem with a ”temporary“ stadium is that why the facility only might be required for ten years, being a public building/structure, it would have to meet the requirements of the Building Code for 50 years. That means all services, watertightness, fire egress, structural requirements all have to be met. The Resource Consent requirements for a temporary stadium would be greater than those for a permanent one because it would also need a timeframe for the removal of the stadium.
Just in terms of the structure, hospitals have the greatest structural requirements in NZ followed by schools and “places of assembly” including stadiums. The reason a temporary stadium worked in Qatar is that last earthquake that was large enough to be recorded there was back in the 1920’s. The Auckland area had 17 earthquakes in the last 365 days over a magnitude of M1.5…. one occurred in the last seven days. While most weren’t felt, they still have an impact on major structures.
Tragic
Contributor
We wouldn't let Frankton boguns in our flash new city sorry bro.
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Bay39er
Contributor
Was there any dispensation from the structural requirements for the temporary cathedral built in Christchurch?
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No, it still had to prove it would meet the Building Code requirements (including structural for dead loads and live loads). I know this because I spoke to a building officer about a ”temporary“ project in Auckland and he had been sent down to Christchurch to help with the recovery and was the senior building officer who reviewed the consent for the temporary cathedral.
BTW, the project I was working on here was changed to a permanent structure because the consent process in terms of both resource and building consents was more difficult than if we applied as a temporary structure.
Resource consent applications can be quite subject…. I.e. how much will a neighbour be affected or which is more important, providing enough car parks or saving an “unprotected” group of trees. Building Consents are very objective… the Building Code and Building Act have to be complied with as do relevant standards and manufacturers details and, if a building or building element is beyond a standard such as an oversized beam in a residential dwelling is outside of NZS 3604, an engineer has to design it but still to the minimum live and dead loads set out in the Building Act and Building Code.
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Auckland stadiums: Eden Park and waterfront stadium among four pitches in search for main stadium
The journey towards a definitive solution to Auckland’s stadium issues has moved a step forward, after a series of presentations to a council working group last Monday.The panel, set up in September by Mayor Wayne Brown, is tasked with finding the best long-term option for a main stadium in the city and then making a non-binding recommendation to the wider council.Eight interested parties submitted expressions of interest earlier this year but that field has since narrowed. The final quartet of proposals on the table, each the subject of 75-minute presentations on Monday, are:
Eden Park 2.0. This option sees a redevelopment of the historic venue, pushing the capacity to 60,000. There are plans for a retractable roof, a new north stand, upgrades to two other grandstands and a pedestrian accessway crossing Sandringham Rd.
Waterfront Arena Aotearoa. This proposal, first mooted by the Waterfront Consortium in 2018, is centred on a 50,000-seat facility at Bledisloe Wharf, which can be increased to 70,000, and has become known as the “sunken stadium”.
The Tank Farm. Based at Wynyard Point, this is the newest proposal, believed to be based on a 50,000-60,000 capacity, transforming the former industrial wasteland into a downtown arena.
Quay Park. This bid, which first surfaced in 2021, is a 50,000-capacity stadium that can be scaled down to 20,000 for smaller events. The stadium is envisioned to be part of a new sports and entertainment precinct at the eastern end of the waterfront, in the vicinity of Spark Arena.
The presentations were made to the working group chaired by councillor Shane Henderson. The other councillors are Julie Fairey, Wayne Walker, Daniel Newman and Chris Darby. The panel also includes Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle, Tataki Auckland Unlimited boss Nick Hill, Tau Henare (independent Māori Statutory representative) and key mayoral adviser Simon Johnston.“It went really well,” Henderson told the Herald. “We had some really different ideas and outside-the-box thinking and a real dedication to Aotearoa and what makes us unique and special. That’s pretty cool and that’s what you need in any kind of large civic space like that.”Henderson declined to go into detail on the bids, saying, “That’s all highly confidential at this stage.”The next step will see an independent assessment of the four pitches by a consulting company – believed to not be one of the “big four” – who will report back to the working group with their findings.“It’s about kicking the tyres and getting a second opinion,” said Henderson. “We have some really good expertise on that working group and we also have councillors that are experts in the public opinion and the public mood but not necessarily on the day-to-day running of a stadium.“This is obviously a huge investment, both in terms of finances and the future of the city for decades to come. We want to do this quickly, to provide certainty for Aucklanders, but it has to be balanced with some real strong expertise.”Henderson said there were “quite different” financial models.It’s believed that two of the downtown options were priced at just over $1 billion, with a third considerably more. Eden Park’s cost for its ambitious renovation was about $850 million. Mayor Brown has already instructed that minimal ratepayer funds will be available and the central Government has yet to commit.“It’s a huge investment in terms of capital but it also has to wash its face from our operational perspective,” said Henderson. “So it’s not just stadium construction. The three waterfront options have all pitched proposals that include high levels of private funding.”
It’s understood that both the mayor and the Government have made it clear in private discussions that the final solution can’t be a “white elephant”.
One industry expert told the Herald that the proposed main stadium, wherever it is ultimately placed, will need to have a minimum of 30 major events annually to break even and more than 40 to turn a profit.
That will mean that sporting content with anchor tenants such as the Warriors, Blues and the new Auckland A-League football team will be crucial given the fickle and complicated nature of entertainment events, especially large-scale concerts.
The working group is scheduled to meet once more in January before forwarding its recommendations to the council. The governing body could vote on the preferred stadium option as early as January 30, though Henderson conceded it could also slip to second scheduled council meeting in late February.
“It will be on the agenda,” said Henderson. “At that stage, we will be able to be a bit more open about identities of bidders.
“Auckland has shown we can do major events really well and this is the next step for us potentially. That is subject to councillors passing it through but it is an exciting next step.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
30 to 40 events to break even / profit is going to be a major hurdle.Auckland stadiums: Eden Park and waterfront stadium among four pitches in search for main stadium
The journey towards a definitive solution to Auckland’s stadium issues has moved a step forward, after a series of presentations to a council working group last Monday.The panel, set up in September by Mayor Wayne Brown, is tasked with finding the best long-term option for a main stadium in the city and then making a non-binding recommendation to the wider council.Eight interested parties submitted expressions of interest earlier this year but that field has since narrowed. The final quartet of proposals on the table, each the subject of 75-minute presentations on Monday, are:
Eden Park 2.0. This option sees a redevelopment of the historic venue, pushing the capacity to 60,000. There are plans for a retractable roof, a new north stand, upgrades to two other grandstands and a pedestrian accessway crossing Sandringham Rd.
Waterfront Arena Aotearoa. This proposal, first mooted by the Waterfront Consortium in 2018, is centred on a 50,000-seat facility at Bledisloe Wharf, which can be increased to 70,000, and has become known as the “sunken stadium”.
The Tank Farm. Based at Wynyard Point, this is the newest proposal, believed to be based on a 50,000-60,000 capacity, transforming the former industrial wasteland into a downtown arena.
Quay Park. This bid, which first surfaced in 2021, is a 50,000-capacity stadium that can be scaled down to 20,000 for smaller events. The stadium is envisioned to be part of a new sports and entertainment precinct at the eastern end of the waterfront, in the vicinity of Spark Arena.
The presentations were made to the working group chaired by councillor Shane Henderson. The other councillors are Julie Fairey, Wayne Walker, Daniel Newman and Chris Darby. The panel also includes Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle, Tataki Auckland Unlimited boss Nick Hill, Tau Henare (independent Māori Statutory representative) and key mayoral adviser Simon Johnston.“It went really well,” Henderson told the Herald. “We had some really different ideas and outside-the-box thinking and a real dedication to Aotearoa and what makes us unique and special. That’s pretty cool and that’s what you need in any kind of large civic space like that.”Henderson declined to go into detail on the bids, saying, “That’s all highly confidential at this stage.”The next step will see an independent assessment of the four pitches by a consulting company – believed to not be one of the “big four” – who will report back to the working group with their findings.“It’s about kicking the tyres and getting a second opinion,” said Henderson. “We have some really good expertise on that working group and we also have councillors that are experts in the public opinion and the public mood but not necessarily on the day-to-day running of a stadium.“This is obviously a huge investment, both in terms of finances and the future of the city for decades to come. We want to do this quickly, to provide certainty for Aucklanders, but it has to be balanced with some real strong expertise.”Henderson said there were “quite different” financial models.It’s believed that two of the downtown options were priced at just over $1 billion, with a third considerably more. Eden Park’s cost for its ambitious renovation was about $850 million. Mayor Brown has already instructed that minimal ratepayer funds will be available and the central Government has yet to commit.“It’s a huge investment in terms of capital but it also has to wash its face from our operational perspective,” said Henderson. “So it’s not just stadium construction. The three waterfront options have all pitched proposals that include high levels of private funding.”
It’s understood that both the mayor and the Government have made it clear in private discussions that the final solution can’t be a “white elephant”.
An artist's impression of the proposed "sunken stadium".
One industry expert told the Herald that the proposed main stadium, wherever it is ultimately placed, will need to have a minimum of 30 major events annually to break even and more than 40 to turn a profit.
That will mean that sporting content with anchor tenants such as the Warriors, Blues and the new Auckland A-League football team will be crucial given the fickle and complicated nature of entertainment events, especially large-scale concerts.
The working group is scheduled to meet once more in January before forwarding its recommendations to the council. The governing body could vote on the preferred stadium option as early as January 30, though Henderson conceded it could also slip to second scheduled council meeting in late February.
“It will be on the agenda,” said Henderson. “At that stage, we will be able to be a bit more open about identities of bidders.
“Auckland has shown we can do major events really well and this is the next step for us potentially. That is subject to councillors passing it through but it is an exciting next step.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
They will need the Warriors / Blues / All Blacks / A League team + summer concert season to get close.
The city and central government will probably need to be really proactive bidding on international content to bring in marquee events (SOO, EPL visits) - I wouldn't be confident of the new A League averaging great attendances
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Worried2Death
Contributor
Wayne is moving quickly. Exciting developments, except the Eden Park proposal, although at least it would have one stunning 21st century innovation, a roof.Auckland stadiums: Eden Park and waterfront stadium among four pitches in search for main stadium
The journey towards a definitive solution to Auckland’s stadium issues has moved a step forward, after a series of presentations to a council working group last Monday.The panel, set up in September by Mayor Wayne Brown, is tasked with finding the best long-term option for a main stadium in the city and then making a non-binding recommendation to the wider council.Eight interested parties submitted expressions of interest earlier this year but that field has since narrowed. The final quartet of proposals on the table, each the subject of 75-minute presentations on Monday, are:
Eden Park 2.0. This option sees a redevelopment of the historic venue, pushing the capacity to 60,000. There are plans for a retractable roof, a new north stand, upgrades to two other grandstands and a pedestrian accessway crossing Sandringham Rd.
Waterfront Arena Aotearoa. This proposal, first mooted by the Waterfront Consortium in 2018, is centred on a 50,000-seat facility at Bledisloe Wharf, which can be increased to 70,000, and has become known as the “sunken stadium”.
The Tank Farm. Based at Wynyard Point, this is the newest proposal, believed to be based on a 50,000-60,000 capacity, transforming the former industrial wasteland into a downtown arena.
Quay Park. This bid, which first surfaced in 2021, is a 50,000-capacity stadium that can be scaled down to 20,000 for smaller events. The stadium is envisioned to be part of a new sports and entertainment precinct at the eastern end of the waterfront, in the vicinity of Spark Arena.
The presentations were made to the working group chaired by councillor Shane Henderson. The other councillors are Julie Fairey, Wayne Walker, Daniel Newman and Chris Darby. The panel also includes Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle, Tataki Auckland Unlimited boss Nick Hill, Tau Henare (independent Māori Statutory representative) and key mayoral adviser Simon Johnston.“It went really well,” Henderson told the Herald. “We had some really different ideas and outside-the-box thinking and a real dedication to Aotearoa and what makes us unique and special. That’s pretty cool and that’s what you need in any kind of large civic space like that.”Henderson declined to go into detail on the bids, saying, “That’s all highly confidential at this stage.”The next step will see an independent assessment of the four pitches by a consulting company – believed to not be one of the “big four” – who will report back to the working group with their findings.“It’s about kicking the tyres and getting a second opinion,” said Henderson. “We have some really good expertise on that working group and we also have councillors that are experts in the public opinion and the public mood but not necessarily on the day-to-day running of a stadium.“This is obviously a huge investment, both in terms of finances and the future of the city for decades to come. We want to do this quickly, to provide certainty for Aucklanders, but it has to be balanced with some real strong expertise.”Henderson said there were “quite different” financial models.It’s believed that two of the downtown options were priced at just over $1 billion, with a third considerably more. Eden Park’s cost for its ambitious renovation was about $850 million. Mayor Brown has already instructed that minimal ratepayer funds will be available and the central Government has yet to commit.“It’s a huge investment in terms of capital but it also has to wash its face from our operational perspective,” said Henderson. “So it’s not just stadium construction. The three waterfront options have all pitched proposals that include high levels of private funding.”
It’s understood that both the mayor and the Government have made it clear in private discussions that the final solution can’t be a “white elephant”.
An artist's impression of the proposed "sunken stadium".
One industry expert told the Herald that the proposed main stadium, wherever it is ultimately placed, will need to have a minimum of 30 major events annually to break even and more than 40 to turn a profit.
That will mean that sporting content with anchor tenants such as the Warriors, Blues and the new Auckland A-League football team will be crucial given the fickle and complicated nature of entertainment events, especially large-scale concerts.
The working group is scheduled to meet once more in January before forwarding its recommendations to the council. The governing body could vote on the preferred stadium option as early as January 30, though Henderson conceded it could also slip to second scheduled council meeting in late February.
“It will be on the agenda,” said Henderson. “At that stage, we will be able to be a bit more open about identities of bidders.
“Auckland has shown we can do major events really well and this is the next step for us potentially. That is subject to councillors passing it through but it is an exciting next step.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
Is Bill Foley's A League stadium one of the submissions, or is that a separate development?
I’m not an Aucklander so haven’t been to mt smart, but it seems like a good rugby stadium. These new stadiums cost heaps of money and it is construction companies usually leading the charge. Apart from the warriors what Auckland sports team gets crowds of over 20k?? Times have moved on and young people aren’t interested….
His mouth is moving quickly. We have had past mayors who have talked a good game as well.
The discussions are good to hear as it means the stadium it is still on the agenda.
At the moment I'm getting to the point I'll wait until we have an approved location, design and budget.
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While Mt Smart is our home... it is dated, requiring upgrades in the near future and located in bit of a dud area.
Upgrading Mt Smart can't really match the potential economic benefit to city that a nice stadium would generate if done well.
The old adage - if you build it they will come (Roosters for instance just had their highest average crowd attendance last year)
I think if the Warriors continue on the trend of stable management crowds could go to another level. Thats a big if
This has worked quite well around the world when teams have moved from historical venues and built something with better viewing and are more aligned to modern viewing requirements.
Yes there may be some occasions it hasn't or it hasn't lasted. But the hasn't last goes back to performing on the field to keep them turning up.
The success of any new venue won't be just on the Warriors. We may be the main tenant seeing as we have a long season. The overall success will be on keeping the venue attended regularly via sports events, concerts or other events.
The location should help. Most of the public transport should be designed to get in and out of the city.
The only two that to me make sense in the long term is either by Vector (would require major reworking of Quay St and the wharf area) or, my preferred option, the tank farm (which would reduce access into the marina).
Continually putting more money into a privately owned Eden Park is a waste of money long term..... how long after it's complete until the EPTB come calling for more money to either do more work or reduce their debt levels. Short term, a privately owned large swimming pool, sorry, waterfront stadium makes economic sense as the consortium is paying for it.... what happens long term when it requires money for a refurb or isn't making sufficient money (most stadiums don't) and wants an Eden Park type bailout by having it's loans written off.
Sorry, but we need to learn from the history with Eden Park and have a publicly funded, owned and run stadium.
Oh, and the first person involved in the decision making process who even suggests cricket should be played at a potential new stadium, should be thrown on the Harbour Bridge without a bungee cord attached!!!!
Continually putting more money into a privately owned Eden Park is a waste of money long term..... how long after it's complete until the EPTB come calling for more money to either do more work or reduce their debt levels. Short term, a privately owned large swimming pool, sorry, waterfront stadium makes economic sense as the consortium is paying for it.... what happens long term when it requires money for a refurb or isn't making sufficient money (most stadiums don't) and wants an Eden Park type bailout by having it's loans written off.
Sorry, but we need to learn from the history with Eden Park and have a publicly funded, owned and run stadium.
Oh, and the first person involved in the decision making process who even suggests cricket should be played at a potential new stadium, should be thrown on the Harbour Bridge without a bungee cord attached!!!!
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John Nick
Contributor
Couldn't agree more miket12
I have been of the opinion that EPTB have it as their own personal playground.
Waterfront makes sense with the access of ferries from the north side of town.
Pity Carlaw was never developed.
As usual in NZ we will have to settle for another secondary option.
And more importantly higher costs of the project
Auckland’s stadium debate is hotting up again with a glitzy plan for Eden Park, the Warriors fortress at Go Media Mt Smart getting an upgrade, two plans on the waterfront, and fierce debate over the future of North Harbour.
Texan billionaire Bill Foley and former ASB Classic tennis tournament director Karl Budge are the latest hopefuls to enter Auckland’s long-running stadium impasse.
The 78-year-old Foley is bankrolling an Auckland A-League football franchise that will initially play at Go Media Mt Smart before moving to a new 20,000-seat stadium on the waterfront.
It’s a bold idea, up there with Trevor Mallard coming to Auckland in 2006 with a blank cheque from the Labour Government to build a waterfront stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Auckland politicians said no.
“We want our own stadium and we are quite excited about that, though it would take time,” Foley said in November.
Texan Bill Foley wants to build a waterfront stadium for his new A-league football team. Photo / Andrew Cornaga
Budge is part of a consortium proposing a 20,000-seat temporary stadium at the central-city Viaduct Harbour, which organisers believe could be built in time to host major sports events next year.
It is understood the backers of the temporary venue have told city leaders it could be constructed within six months, meaning it would be ready to host the first match of Auckland’s new A-League team in October 2024.
However, the self-funding project has a few “buts” - Auckland Council must provide the site at no cost, and it would need support from the Warriors and Blues, who are contractually tied to Go Media and Eden Park over the next few years.
The latest plans are playing out 12 years after Auckland Council unveiled plans to rationalise the city’s four stadiums - Go Media, North Harbour, Western Springs and Eden Park - and put them on a “more sustainable financial footing”.
Since then five plans have come and gone, and nothing has changed. A new game plan under Mayor Wayne Brown to determine an “Auckland Main Stadium” is likely to conclude that Eden Park will stay on as the premier venue for All Blacks tests, big events like last year’s successful Fifa Women’s Football Cup, and concerts.
No surprise there, but there’s a glimmer of hope that could see Auckland settle for a large, medium and small stadium to deliver everything from All Blacks tests to the Warriors and school football.
The latest impetus is set out in Auckland Council’s draft 10-year budget prepared by the mayor, who says the city’s stadiums are under-utilised and bleeding money.
He says there won’t be enough money in the budget to keep the council’s three stadiums - Go Media, North Harbour and Western Springs in a fit state, and Eden Park, owned by a private trust, owes the council money and may put its hand out for more.
Moving forward, Brown appears happy with the status quo at Eden Park and is proposing affordable steps to improve Go Smart, Western Springs and North Harbour.
Western Springs would receive $10 million to become a semi-permanent concert venue, but it is unclear what will happen to Speedway, which saw off attempts to boot it out of its home of 90 years in 2019.
About $70m is earmarked for Go Media Mt Smart Stadium, the hottest ticket in town last footy season with the resurgent Warriors packing in the fans, and coming close to snaring the Blues, who eventually signed a new two-year deal at Eden Park.
The 25,000-seat stadium is in line for improvements to the main stadium, a 10,000-capacity secondary stadium and high-performance facilities in partnership with the private sector. Talks are also underway to improve public transport and traffic management in and around the stadium.
Brown’s most controversial idea is to do away with the 25,000-seat North Harbour Stadium, which he calls a “white elephant”, although he is putting two options on the table, and is keen to get feedback from people on the North Shore.
The first option is to keep the existing stadium, spend $35m over the next decade to maintain and operate it and look at improving its operating model.
The second option is to downsize North Harbour for up to 8000 seats with the flexibility for additional capacity if needed.
This would be funded by using the $35m in the pot for North Harbour Stadium and selling some land in the wider stadium precinct.
Some of the money would also fund a new indoor multi-use arena, and the existing playing fields in the precinct would be kept.
The plan has sparked debate, with North Harbour Rugby calling time on the “no longer fit-for-purpose” stadium and wanting a new home to seat 6000 to 8000 spectators, whereas Harbour Sport says North Harbour, fundraised by locals and built in 1997, has been left to go to ruin and should remain.
Albany councillor John Watson says downsizing North Harbour Stadium would be the “kiss of death”, and the local Upper Harbour Local Board is also opposed.
How much progress Brown makes on his “stadium investment plan” will not be known until mid-2024 when the 10-year budget is finalised, but after 11 years of Auckland’s Stadium Strategy going nowhere, there is a sniff of Auckland settling for a “large, medium and small” stadium outcome.
Parallel to this is work between the council’s events arm Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Eden Park Trust on a single operator for the city’s stadiums by July.
In November, councillors were updated on this work and learned progress “has been slower than anticipated”, which is not surprising given a history of tension between the pair and greater competition since Eden Park got consent in 2021 to hold six concerts a year.
The Commerce Commission is also in the mix and must rule on whether the “public benefits” of a single operator outweigh any impacts from the loss of competition between Tātaki’s stadiums and Eden Park.
While talks drag on, the “Auckland Main Stadium” exercise is drawing to a close after four parties came forward to be crowned the top dog.
They are Eden Park with its 2.0 and revised 2.1 option, transforming the 60,000 seat stadium into a glitzy 60,000-capacity sport and entertainment fortress with a retractable roof, three new grandstands and a pedestrian promenade linking to Kingsland train station.
The revised 2.1 option is believed to have a reduced carbon footprint, but like its sibling comes at a cost likely to exceed $1 billion when the Eden Park Trust does not have the financial means to foot the bill, and Auckland Council and the Government are saying “no” to nice-to-haves.
The Auckland Waterfront Consortium has dusted off its 2018 plans for a 70,000-seat, fully enclosed stadium sunk into the Waitematā Harbour with a floating roof above sea level costing about $2b.
The consortium claims the stadium can be built at no cost to the public purse, but it, too, comes with conditions - it must be given the freehold title on Eden Park and development rights on about 16ha of prime waterfront land at Ports of Auckland.
An artist's impression of the proposed Auckland Waterfront Stadium sunken stadium proposed in 2018.
The third proposal is a plan for a “mini Melbourne” entertainment precinct encompassing the 555,000-seat rectangular stadium, an indoor arena and an outdoor amphitheatre to view harbour events like Sail GP. The 8000-seat indoor arena would replace the Viaduct Events Centre and a new walking and cycle connection from Halsey Wharf to Wynyard Point would form an inner harbour for water sports.
Financier and former New Zealand Rugby board member Richard Dellabarca is leading the work, and secured some of the world’s biggest names in designing, building and running stadiums.
The fourth proposal is for a waterfront stadium precinct at Quay Park or Te Tōangaroa, backed by New Zealand Rugby, and including an All Black-branded hotel.
Ever since former Mayor Phil Goff floated the idea in 2018 of a new National Stadium in downtown Auckland, the site of the old railways land alongside Spark Arena has been identified as a feasible location.
The land is owned by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and renamed Te Tōangaroa.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei chief executive Lisa Davis said the iwi is not involved in the process concerning an Auckland Main Stadium.
“Te Tōangaroa has been identified previously by independent parties as a possible site for a stadium. We would of course evaluate any proposal which is beneficial to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei as a landowner and to Te Tōangaroa as a whole,” she said.
Earlier last year, Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei deputy chair Ngarimu Blair came out in favour of the latest design for Eden Park, calling it a “strong stadium proposal”.
Councillor Shane Henderson chairs the “Stadium Venues political working group” for the Auckland Main Stadium project.
As well as the sports fanatic Henderson, the working group includes other councillors, Tātaki chief executive Nick Hill, a member of the Māori Statutory Board and Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle.
After receiving 75-minute presentations from each of the four wannabes before Christmas, and going through an independent assessment, the group is expected to present a recommendation for the council’s governing body after the summer recess.
The money is on Eden Park, simply because there is no money and no political will to build a new national stadium from scratch.
As for Foley and the Budge consortium, the chances of them getting anywhere, any time soon, are slim.
Eden Park has been part of the mix in all five plans that have come and gone since the "Stadium Strategy" launched in 2012.
Texan billionaire Bill Foley and former ASB Classic tennis tournament director Karl Budge are the latest hopefuls to enter Auckland’s long-running stadium impasse.
The 78-year-old Foley is bankrolling an Auckland A-League football franchise that will initially play at Go Media Mt Smart before moving to a new 20,000-seat stadium on the waterfront.
It’s a bold idea, up there with Trevor Mallard coming to Auckland in 2006 with a blank cheque from the Labour Government to build a waterfront stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Auckland politicians said no.
“We want our own stadium and we are quite excited about that, though it would take time,” Foley said in November.
Budge is part of a consortium proposing a 20,000-seat temporary stadium at the central-city Viaduct Harbour, which organisers believe could be built in time to host major sports events next year.
It is understood the backers of the temporary venue have told city leaders it could be constructed within six months, meaning it would be ready to host the first match of Auckland’s new A-League team in October 2024.
However, the self-funding project has a few “buts” - Auckland Council must provide the site at no cost, and it would need support from the Warriors and Blues, who are contractually tied to Go Media and Eden Park over the next few years.
The latest plans are playing out 12 years after Auckland Council unveiled plans to rationalise the city’s four stadiums - Go Media, North Harbour, Western Springs and Eden Park - and put them on a “more sustainable financial footing”.
Since then five plans have come and gone, and nothing has changed. A new game plan under Mayor Wayne Brown to determine an “Auckland Main Stadium” is likely to conclude that Eden Park will stay on as the premier venue for All Blacks tests, big events like last year’s successful Fifa Women’s Football Cup, and concerts.
No surprise there, but there’s a glimmer of hope that could see Auckland settle for a large, medium and small stadium to deliver everything from All Blacks tests to the Warriors and school football.
The latest impetus is set out in Auckland Council’s draft 10-year budget prepared by the mayor, who says the city’s stadiums are under-utilised and bleeding money.
He says there won’t be enough money in the budget to keep the council’s three stadiums - Go Media, North Harbour and Western Springs in a fit state, and Eden Park, owned by a private trust, owes the council money and may put its hand out for more.
Moving forward, Brown appears happy with the status quo at Eden Park and is proposing affordable steps to improve Go Smart, Western Springs and North Harbour.
Western Springs would receive $10 million to become a semi-permanent concert venue, but it is unclear what will happen to Speedway, which saw off attempts to boot it out of its home of 90 years in 2019.
About $70m is earmarked for Go Media Mt Smart Stadium, the hottest ticket in town last footy season with the resurgent Warriors packing in the fans, and coming close to snaring the Blues, who eventually signed a new two-year deal at Eden Park.
The 25,000-seat stadium is in line for improvements to the main stadium, a 10,000-capacity secondary stadium and high-performance facilities in partnership with the private sector. Talks are also underway to improve public transport and traffic management in and around the stadium.
Brown’s most controversial idea is to do away with the 25,000-seat North Harbour Stadium, which he calls a “white elephant”, although he is putting two options on the table, and is keen to get feedback from people on the North Shore.
The first option is to keep the existing stadium, spend $35m over the next decade to maintain and operate it and look at improving its operating model.
The second option is to downsize North Harbour for up to 8000 seats with the flexibility for additional capacity if needed.
This would be funded by using the $35m in the pot for North Harbour Stadium and selling some land in the wider stadium precinct.
Some of the money would also fund a new indoor multi-use arena, and the existing playing fields in the precinct would be kept.
The plan has sparked debate, with North Harbour Rugby calling time on the “no longer fit-for-purpose” stadium and wanting a new home to seat 6000 to 8000 spectators, whereas Harbour Sport says North Harbour, fundraised by locals and built in 1997, has been left to go to ruin and should remain.
Albany councillor John Watson says downsizing North Harbour Stadium would be the “kiss of death”, and the local Upper Harbour Local Board is also opposed.
How much progress Brown makes on his “stadium investment plan” will not be known until mid-2024 when the 10-year budget is finalised, but after 11 years of Auckland’s Stadium Strategy going nowhere, there is a sniff of Auckland settling for a “large, medium and small” stadium outcome.
Parallel to this is work between the council’s events arm Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Eden Park Trust on a single operator for the city’s stadiums by July.
In November, councillors were updated on this work and learned progress “has been slower than anticipated”, which is not surprising given a history of tension between the pair and greater competition since Eden Park got consent in 2021 to hold six concerts a year.
The Commerce Commission is also in the mix and must rule on whether the “public benefits” of a single operator outweigh any impacts from the loss of competition between Tātaki’s stadiums and Eden Park.
While talks drag on, the “Auckland Main Stadium” exercise is drawing to a close after four parties came forward to be crowned the top dog.
They are Eden Park with its 2.0 and revised 2.1 option, transforming the 60,000 seat stadium into a glitzy 60,000-capacity sport and entertainment fortress with a retractable roof, three new grandstands and a pedestrian promenade linking to Kingsland train station.
The revised 2.1 option is believed to have a reduced carbon footprint, but like its sibling comes at a cost likely to exceed $1 billion when the Eden Park Trust does not have the financial means to foot the bill, and Auckland Council and the Government are saying “no” to nice-to-haves.
The Auckland Waterfront Consortium has dusted off its 2018 plans for a 70,000-seat, fully enclosed stadium sunk into the Waitematā Harbour with a floating roof above sea level costing about $2b.
The consortium claims the stadium can be built at no cost to the public purse, but it, too, comes with conditions - it must be given the freehold title on Eden Park and development rights on about 16ha of prime waterfront land at Ports of Auckland.
The third proposal is a plan for a “mini Melbourne” entertainment precinct encompassing the 555,000-seat rectangular stadium, an indoor arena and an outdoor amphitheatre to view harbour events like Sail GP. The 8000-seat indoor arena would replace the Viaduct Events Centre and a new walking and cycle connection from Halsey Wharf to Wynyard Point would form an inner harbour for water sports.
Financier and former New Zealand Rugby board member Richard Dellabarca is leading the work, and secured some of the world’s biggest names in designing, building and running stadiums.
The fourth proposal is for a waterfront stadium precinct at Quay Park or Te Tōangaroa, backed by New Zealand Rugby, and including an All Black-branded hotel.
Ever since former Mayor Phil Goff floated the idea in 2018 of a new National Stadium in downtown Auckland, the site of the old railways land alongside Spark Arena has been identified as a feasible location.
The land is owned by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and renamed Te Tōangaroa.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei chief executive Lisa Davis said the iwi is not involved in the process concerning an Auckland Main Stadium.
“Te Tōangaroa has been identified previously by independent parties as a possible site for a stadium. We would of course evaluate any proposal which is beneficial to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei as a landowner and to Te Tōangaroa as a whole,” she said.
Earlier last year, Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei deputy chair Ngarimu Blair came out in favour of the latest design for Eden Park, calling it a “strong stadium proposal”.
Councillor Shane Henderson chairs the “Stadium Venues political working group” for the Auckland Main Stadium project.
As well as the sports fanatic Henderson, the working group includes other councillors, Tātaki chief executive Nick Hill, a member of the Māori Statutory Board and Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle.
After receiving 75-minute presentations from each of the four wannabes before Christmas, and going through an independent assessment, the group is expected to present a recommendation for the council’s governing body after the summer recess.
The money is on Eden Park, simply because there is no money and no political will to build a new national stadium from scratch.
As for Foley and the Budge consortium, the chances of them getting anywhere, any time soon, are slim.
Shifting goalposts: Auckland’s various stadium plans over the years
Plan A - 2012- Eden Park used for rugby, league and one-day and T20 cricket.
- Speedway moves to Mt Smart; Western Springs is used for test cricket.
- Mt Smart becomes training base for league, a high-performance centre and the home of athletics.
- North Harbour Stadium is used by North Harbour Rugby and Football.
- Eden Park left to fend for itself after rejecting cost-cutting proposals. Warriors move to Eden Park or North Harbour Stadium after 2018.
- North Harbour gets a $12m makeover, including a roof over the western stand.
- Cricket gets $12m boutique oval at Western Springs, which remains a concert venue.
- Speedway goes to Mt Smart at a cost of $5m.
- Eden Park keeps big rugby and cricket matches.
- Warriors stay at Mt Smart at least until 2028. Ground gets $10m over three years for league and concerts.
- North Harbour gets some rugby and football. $12m upgrade delayed.
- Speedway stays at Western Springs until 2019, when it moves to South Auckland.
- Western Springs becomes a cricket ground and concert venue.
- Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and the Government discuss plans for a new national stadium in downtown Auckland costing between $1.1b and $1.5b.
- Based on pre-feasibility study by PwC for 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 Black tests and other premier events to seat up to 55,000 spectators.
- Eden Park left to fend for itself with major rugby matches and a possible council bail-out.
- Warriors stay at Mt Smart until 2028 when they may shift to Eden Park. After 2028, Mt Smart becomes a community stadium and high-performance centre.
- Western Springs becomes a cricket ground for tests, T20 and one-day internationals at a cost of $91m. Venue for concerts and AFL matches.
- North Harbour becomes a community stadium for events with fewer than 10,000 spectators. Remains home of North Harbour Rugby. High-performance centre for rugby, football and baseball.
