Auckland stadium battle: Eden Park, Quay Park projects unfeasible without public funding - report
The contest to be crowned Auckland’s “Main Stadium” has concluded with the two contestants failing to show their glitzy plans are feasible without significant public funding.
Nearly two years after Mayor Wayne Brown set out to resolve a “Main Stadium” for the city, the two preferred options – an upgrade of Eden Park and a waterfront stadium at Quay Park – go before councillors on Thursday.
Eden Park 2.1 involves increasing the stadium’s capacity to 60,000, a retractable roof, a new north stand, upgrades to two other grandstands and a pedestrian promenade to Sandringham Rd.
Te Tōangaroa is more ambitious and includes a 50,000-seat stadium that can be scaled down to 20,000 capacity for smaller events as the centrepiece for the redevelopment of Quay Park with up to four hotels, hospitality, scope for 2000 apartments plus commercial offices.
A report by senior officers has concluded that “neither proponent has demonstrated that their proposal is feasible without significant public funding”.
It said Te Tōangaroa has not demonstrated that its proposals are technically or commercially feasible at this stage and wants more time to do so.
Over the next 12 months, the consortium behind the plan at Quay Park intends to progress with land acquisition.
Eden Park 2.1 is technically feasible, but not financially feasible because it relies on significant public funding, according to the report.
Officers said Eden Park could be progressed in stages, and there may be merit in Government support in the early stages.
The Eden Park Trust is seeking $110 million from the Government for the first stage to redevelop the Lower North Stand, the report said.
This would be followed by redeveloping the Upper North Stand with potential additions such as hotel and student accommodation. Stage 3 would see the installation of a retractable roof.
The report said there are no plans for Auckland Council to provide funding towards a major stadium upgrade or new stadium.
One option for councillors is to stick with the status quo, leaving privately owned Eden Park as the city’s largest stadium, and the council managing Go Media (Mt Smart), North Harbour and Western Springs.
Separately from the “Main Stadium” project, the council is considering three rival bids to develop stadium facilities at Western Springs.
A group of high-profile New Zealanders – including businesswoman Anna Mowbray and her husband, former All Blacks lock Ali Williams – is behind the proposal to build a new 12,500-seat sports stadium and community sports facilities.
CRS Records, a music promoter and event producer, has proposed to privately fund turning the venue into a place for live entertainment and festivals, with the capability to host cultural events, as well as community sports and activities, with a maximum capacity of 45,000.*
Ponsonby Rugby Club wants to extend its current occupancy and expand operations to other sports, while enabling the venue to host 50,000-capacity concerts through redevelopment of the site with a proposal to the council for further funding.
Auckland’s stadium battle: Eden Park, Quay Park projects unfeasible without public funding - report
Two proposals will go before councillors on Thursday.
* @juju, is this you?
It was the expensive stadium they know about vs the new expensive stadium that had question marks about it.
