New Zealand Stadia Discussion/Eden Park v.s. Quay Park
Current Affairs New Zealand Stadia Discussion
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'Turn it into a retirement village': Inside the war of words over Eden Park
It resembles a building from Blade Runner. It looks like somewhere the Avengers might assemble. It is, believes Paul Nisbet, the future. "It's innovative, it's groundbreaking, it's something different," says the driving force behind Te Tōangaroa, a new stadium mooted for downtown Auckland. He's spent 13 years dreaming up this moon shot, and it shows. "We have an opportunity here to deliver something special for the country."Located behind Spark Arena, Te Tōangaroa - also called 'Quay Park' - is Nisbet's big gamble, the stadium he believes Tāmaki Makaurau needs to sustain the city's live sport and entertainment demands for the next 100 years. His is a concept as grand as it gets, a U-shaped dream with winged rooftops that will sweep around fans sitting in the stands, each getting unimpeached views out over the Waitematā Harbour and Rangitoto Island.
Nisbet calls his vision a "gateway for the world," a structure so grand he believes it would attract the biggest sports teams, stars and sponsors to Aotearoa while offering visitors a must-see tourist destination. Nestled alongside residential areas, commercial zones and an All Blacks-themed hotel, designs show a retractable roof protecting 55,000 punters from the elements and a sky turret towering over neighbouring buildings.
He's gone all in on this. Nisbet's quit his job, assembled a consortium of experts - called Cenfield MXD - and attracted financial backers to turn his vision into a reality. It is, Nisbet believes, the culmination of his 30-year career working in major stadiums, including 11 years as director of Auckland Stadiums. "I've had the chance to travel extensively," he says. "I've been to over 50 stadiums around the world."
Tāmaki Makaurau, he says, needs Te Tōangaroa - urgently. If approved, it will be built over an ageing commercial space and an unused railway yard sitting behind Spark Arena, what Nisbet calls "a dirty old brownfields location that's sapping the economic viability out of the city." He calls it a "regeneration" project. "You couldn't mistake you're in Auckland, or New Zealand, when you see images of it," he says.
The All Blacks are on board, says Nisbet, and they want Te Tōangaroa built by 2029 in time for a Lions tour. (The All Blacks didn't respond to a request for comment, but former players John Kirwan and Sean Fitzpatrick have backed the team moving to Te Tōangaroa.) Concert promoters are on board too, says Nisbet. He believes Te Tōangaroa would end the Taylor Swift debacle that's seen her and many major acts skip us in favour of touring Australian stadiums. "It will be one of those special places that international acts just have to play," he says.
The problem? Nisbet's made a gamble that may not pay off. In March, a decision is due to be made about the city's stadium future. Building Te Tōangaroa, with an estimated construction time of six years and a budget of $1 billion, is just one option. The other, Eden Park, has 125 years of history, a long-standing All Blacks record and a huge number of supporters behind it - as well as a CEO willing to do anything to win.
The stadium standing in Te Tōangaroa's way
Stand in Eden Park's foyer for a few minutes and history will smack you in the face. It's there in the photos framed on the wall from a 1937 All Blacks test match. It's sitting in Anton Oliver's rugby boots from 2001, presumably fumigated and placed inside a glass case. More recent history is on display too, with floor-to-ceiling photographs showing off concerts headlined by by Ed Sheeran and Six60, a pivot only possible since 2021.Soon, the man in charge of all of this arrives. "Very few people have seen this space," says Nick Sautner, the Eden Park CEO who shakes my hand, pulls me down a hallway and invites me into a secret room in the bowels of Eden Park. With gleaming wood panels, leather couches and top-shelf liquor, Sautner's proud of his hidden bar. "It's invite-only ... a VIP experience," says Sautner, whose Australian accent remains easily identifiable despite seven years at the helm of Eden Park.
This bar, he says, is just one of the many innovations Eden Park has undertaken in recent years. Built in 1900, the Mt Eden stadium remains the home of the All Blacks - but Eden Park is no longer considered a specialty sports venue. Up to 70% of the stadium's revenue now comes from non-sporting activities, Sautner confirms. You can golf, abseil onto the rooftops and stay the night in dedicated glamping venues. It's also become promoters' choice for major concerts, with Coldplay and Luke Combs recently hosting multiple shows there. "We will consider any innovation you can imagine," Sautner tells me. "We're a blank canvas."
Throughout our interview, Sautner refers to Eden Park as the "national stadium". He's upbeat and on form, rattling off statistics and renovations from memory. His social media feeds - especially LinkedIn - are full of posts promoting the stadium's achievements. He'll pick up the phone to anyone who will talk to him. "Whatsapp is the best way of contacting me," he says. Residents have his number and can call directly with complaints. After our interview, Sautner passes me his business card then follows it up with an email making sure I have everything I need. "My phone's always on," he assures me.
He may not admit it, but Sautner's doing all of this in an attempt to get ahead of what's shaping up as the biggest crisis of Eden Park's 125 years. If Te Tōangaroa is chosen in March, Eden Park - as well as Albany's North Harbour Stadium and Onehunga's Go Media Stadium - will all take a back seat. If Eden Park loses the All Blacks and their 31-year unbeaten record, then there's no other word for it: the threat is existential.
Ask Sautner if he's losing sleep over his stadium's future and he shakes his head. To him, Te Tōangaroa's numbers don't stack up. "If someone can make the business model work for an alternative stadium in Auckland, I'm all for activating the waterfront," he says. Then he poses a series of questions: "How many events a year would a downtown stadium hold? Forty-five?" he asks. "So 320 other days a year, what's going to be in that stadium?"
He is, of course, biased. But Sautner believes upgrading Eden Park is the right move. Called Eden Park 2.1, Sautner is promoting a three-stage renovation plan that includes building a $100-million retractable rooftop. A new North Stand would lift Eden Park's capacity to 70,000, and improved function facilities and a pedestrian bridge would turn the venue into "a fortress ... capable of hosting every event".
He's veering into corporate speak, but Sautner sees the vision clearly. With his annual concert consent recently raised from six to 12 shows, he already thinks he's got it in the bag, "Eden Park has the land, it has the consent, it has the community, it has the infrastructure," he says. "I'm very confident Eden Park is going to be here for another 100 years."
Instead of a drink, Sautner offers RNZ a personal stadium tour that takes us through the exact same doors that open when the All Blacks emerge onto the hallowed turf. There, blinking in the sunlight, Sautner sweeps his arms around the stadium and grins. "I get up every day and I think of my family," he says. "Then I think, 'How can I make Eden Park better?"
The stadium debate: 'It began when the dinosaurs died out'
It is, says Shane Henderson, an argument for the ages. It never seems to quit. How long have Aucklanders been feuding about stadiums? "It began when the dinosaurs died out," jokes Henderson. For the past year, he's been chairing a working group that will make the decision on Auckland's stadium future. That group whittled four options down to the current two, eliminating a sunken waterfront stadium, and another based in Silo Park.He's doing this because Wayne Brown asked him to. "The mayor said, 'We need to say to the public, 'This is our preferred option for a stadium for the city.'" It's taken over Henderson's life. Every summer barbecue has turned into a forum for people to share their views. "People say, "Why don't you do this?'" he says. Henderson won't be drawn on which way he's leaning ahead of March's decision, but he's well aware of the stakes. "We're talking about the future of our city for generations to come," he says. "It's natural feelings are going to run high."
That's true. As I researched this story, the main parties engaged in a back-and-forth discussion that became increasingly heated. Jim Doyle, from Te Tōangaroa's Cenfield MXD team, described Eden Park's situation as desperate. "Eden Park can't fund itself ... it's got no money, it's costing ratepayers," he said. Doyle alleged the stadium "wouldn't be fit for purpose". "You're going to have to spend probably close to $1 billion to upgrade it." Asked what should happen to Eden Park should the decision go Te Tōangaroa's way, Doyle shrugged his shoulders. "Turn it into a retirement village."
Eden Park's Sautner immediately struck back. Yes, he admits Eden Park owes $40 million to Auckland Council, calling that debt a "legacy left over from the Rugby World Cup 2011". But he denied most of the consortium's claims. "Eden Park does not receive any funding or subsidies from Auckland ratepayers," Sautner said in a written statement. He confirmed renovations had already begun. "Over the past three years, the Trust has invested more than $30m to enhance infrastructure and upgrade facilities ... creating flexible spaces to meet evolving market demands."
Sautner said Doyle's statement was evidence of his team's inexperience. "We are extremely disappointed that comments of this nature have been made," he said. "They are factually incorrect and highlight Quay Park consortium's lack of understanding of stadium economics."
Do we even need to do this?
As the stadium debate turns into a showdown, major stars continue to skip Aotearoa in favour of huge Australian shows, with Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue and Oasis all giving us a miss this year. New Zealand music fans are reluctantly spending large sums on flights and accommodation if they want to see them. Until Metallica arrives in November, there are no stadium shows booked; just three of Eden Park's 12 allotted concert slots are taken this year.Yet, Auckland City councillors will soon study feasibility reports being submitted by both stadium options. On March 24, Henderson, the working group chair, says councillors will come together to "thrash it out" and vote for their preferred option. There will only be one winner, and NZ Herald reports either building Te Tōangaroa or Eden Park 2.1 is likely to cost more than $1 billion. Either we're spending that on a brand new waterfront stadium, or we're upgrading an old one.
"Is that the best use of that money?" asks David Benge. The managing director for events company TEG Live doesn't believe Tāmaki Makaurau needs another stadium because it's barely using those it already has. He has questions. "I understand the excitement around a shiny new toy, but to what end?" he asks. "Can Auckland sustain a show at Go Media Stadium, a show at Western Springs, a show at Eden Park, and a show at this new stadium on the same night - or even in the same week?"
Benge doesn't believe Te Tōangaroa would entice more artists to play here either. "I'm yet to meet an artist who's going to be swayed by how iconic a venue is," he says. Bigger problems include the size of our population and the strength of our dollar. No matter the venue, "you're still incurring the same expenses to produce the show," he says. Instead, he suggests Pōneke as the next city needing a new venue. "If you could wave a magic wand and invest in a 10,000-12,000-capacity indoor arena in Wellington, that would be fantastic," he says.
Live Nation, the touring juggernaut that hosts most of the country's stadium shows, didn't respond to a request for comment. Other promoters canvassed by RNZ offered mixed views. Some wanted a new stadium, while others wanted a refurbished one. Every single one of them said that any new stadium needed to be built with concerts - not sport - in mind. "We're fitting a square peg in a round hole," one said about the production costs involved in trucking temporary stages into Eden Park or Go Media Stadium. "Turf replacement can add hundreds of thousands - if not $1 million - to your bottom line," said another.
Some wanted something else entirely. Veteran promoter Campbell Smith pointed out Auckland Council is seeking input for a potential redevelopment of Western Springs. One mooted option is turning it into a home ground for the rapidly rising football club Auckland FC. Smith doesn't agree with that. "I think it's a really attractive option for music and festivals," he says. "It's got a large footprint, it's easily accessible, it's close to the city ... It would be a travesty if it was developed entirely for sport."
One thing is for certain: a decision on this lengthy, torrid and emotional topic is being made in March. One party will celebrate; the other will slink back to the drawing board. Will it finally end the great Auckland stadium debate? That's a question that seems easier to answer than any of the others.
Eden Park is terrible in terms of location, the shape of the ground - not a cricket ground and not a football ground, not great nearby restaurants and bars (City would be better than Kingsland), transport in and out .
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NZWarriors.com
Such interesting yarns the Auckland stadia – but that waterfront mockup is an eye sore. Wouldn’t give eden park a cent, but if playing there is not worthwhile for Oasis, what’s going to make them want to play the waterfront? The views?
Currently 11 ish NRL games, 7 super rugby games, 2 union tests, 1 league test, 13 A league games, would keep a major stadium in use two thirds of the year. Won’t even count NPC no one goes to that. Or moana Pasifika who may not be viable either. Or cricket, no dual purpose stadiums allowed.
Mt Smart would do as the interim venue while it is built, then is downgraded over time and remains as the south-central venue for non-professional sport, junior teams etc. Like trusts stadium in the west and Albany in the north.
Even if Ali Williams wife offers to pay for some of western springs, they may not need another professional level rectangle stadium – Brisbane and Melbourne just have the one dedicated venue for non-rules code – cricket / outdoor festivals would seem a better use of the land.
Currently 11 ish NRL games, 7 super rugby games, 2 union tests, 1 league test, 13 A league games, would keep a major stadium in use two thirds of the year. Won’t even count NPC no one goes to that. Or moana Pasifika who may not be viable either. Or cricket, no dual purpose stadiums allowed.
Mt Smart would do as the interim venue while it is built, then is downgraded over time and remains as the south-central venue for non-professional sport, junior teams etc. Like trusts stadium in the west and Albany in the north.
Even if Ali Williams wife offers to pay for some of western springs, they may not need another professional level rectangle stadium – Brisbane and Melbourne just have the one dedicated venue for non-rules code – cricket / outdoor festivals would seem a better use of the land.
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Revealed: First images of new Auckland stadium complex, Steven Adams joins all-star backers
The first video images and new details of a major new stadium and sports complex proposed for central Auckland have been released.
And it has been revealed that NBA basketball superstar Steven Adams is joining forces with All Blacks legend Ali Williams to front the proposal.
It is also backed by entrepreneur Anna Mowbray and American billionaires Bill Foley and Bennett Rosenthal.
Rosenthal owns US Major League Soccer outfit LAFC and, like Adams, Mowbray and Williams, has a stake in Auckland FC, which is majority owned by Foley.
The flyover video shows a 12,500 seat stadium at Western Springs, beside a big indoor facility that, it’s understood, would contain several restaurants. The video shows outdoor and covered basketball courts and a number of courts for padel - a racket sport of Mexican origin.
The group championing the proposal to Auckland Council wants the development, less than 5km from downtown Auckland and beside the Northwestern Motorway, to become a new multi-purpose sporting, entertainment, and community space.
They have targeted football, basketball and padel because they are the fastest-growing sports in the world but lack infrastructure in Auckland.
The group’s proposal, seen by Stuff, says they will build this “at zero cost to the ratepayer”.
Auckland Council is understood to be considering the proposal and the group needs its sign-off to go any further.
The proposal also says the international businesspeople involved are behind some of the best stadium complexes in the world.
As part of the proposal, Williams said: “Auckland is one of the best cities in the world, in the best country in the world. Western Springs is a core part of Auckland’s history, and we want to help continue that legacy.
“I played in this park as a kid, feeding the geese. I played football for Western Springs on that turf and went on to start my rugby career on these grounds. This is a big mission for us, it's personal and grounded in giving back.”
Williams said the Ponsonby Rugby Club - his old club - would have to move to make the stadium a reality.
"Unfortunately, the project is large. It’s building from the ground up. For it to be the best it can be for the community, it must be purpose-built. We have proposed alternatives that we can see would work well for my old club, which we will help to support as everyone works through this change.”
Williams said the group wanted to double down on the success of Auckland FC, currently topping the A-League in their debut season.
“Through Auckland FC, we’ve seen that deep fandom is possible and that the people of Auckland want something to get behind. They want teams to support, places to go to connect and ways to build their own rich memories. We want to encourage this and make a home for it in a novel, progressive and dynamic fashion.”
NZWarriors.com
Interesting. 12500 seems about 4000-5000 light though?Revealed: First images of new Auckland stadium complex, Steven Adams joins all-star backers
The first video images and new details of a major new stadium and sports complex proposed for central Auckland have been released.
And it has been revealed that NBA basketball superstar Steven Adams is joining forces with All Blacks legend Ali Williams to front the proposal.
It is also backed by entrepreneur Anna Mowbray and American billionaires Bill Foley and Bennett Rosenthal.
Rosenthal owns US Major League Soccer outfit LAFC and, like Adams, Mowbray and Williams, has a stake in Auckland FC, which is majority owned by Foley.
The flyover video shows a 12,500 seat stadium at Western Springs, beside a big indoor facility that, it’s understood, would contain several restaurants. The video shows outdoor and covered basketball courts and a number of courts for padel - a racket sport of Mexican origin.
The group championing the proposal to Auckland Council wants the development, less than 5km from downtown Auckland and beside the Northwestern Motorway, to become a new multi-purpose sporting, entertainment, and community space.
They have targeted football, basketball and padel because they are the fastest-growing sports in the world but lack infrastructure in Auckland.
The group’s proposal, seen by Stuff, says they will build this “at zero cost to the ratepayer”.
Auckland Council is understood to be considering the proposal and the group needs its sign-off to go any further.
The proposal also says the international businesspeople involved are behind some of the best stadium complexes in the world.
As part of the proposal, Williams said: “Auckland is one of the best cities in the world, in the best country in the world. Western Springs is a core part of Auckland’s history, and we want to help continue that legacy.
“I played in this park as a kid, feeding the geese. I played football for Western Springs on that turf and went on to start my rugby career on these grounds. This is a big mission for us, it's personal and grounded in giving back.”
Williams said the Ponsonby Rugby Club - his old club - would have to move to make the stadium a reality.
"Unfortunately, the project is large. It’s building from the ground up. For it to be the best it can be for the community, it must be purpose-built. We have proposed alternatives that we can see would work well for my old club, which we will help to support as everyone works through this change.”
Williams said the group wanted to double down on the success of Auckland FC, currently topping the A-League in their debut season.
“Through Auckland FC, we’ve seen that deep fandom is possible and that the people of Auckland want something to get behind. They want teams to support, places to go to connect and ways to build their own rich memories. We want to encourage this and make a home for it in a novel, progressive and dynamic fashion.”
Do you think the project is reliant on Auckland council gifting the consortium the land?
Yup - the competing bids are to turn the space into a facility like the hollywood bowl.
AFC crowd average would be over 12 500 easily.
NZWarriors.com
That is probably a safe assumption. If they are investing the money to build on the land than owning the land would make sense from their point of view.
It also puts them in a strong position owning the land and the stadium. Like some historical clubs who own their historical stadium or land somewhere. Like the Sharks who have struggled for years but owned land around their stadium that is getting redeveloped.
I wonder how much funding the other bids have behind them? CRS Records Limited and the Ponsonby Rugby Club.
I love it as a concert venue. Mainly and used to live in the area so I park down by my old house and walk down. By the time I get back to my car the crowd has dispersed.
If Auckland FC end up building on the site with a smaller boutique stadium that is one less option for a dedicated cricket venue. I hope we don't get to a position where whatever stadium option they go with out of Eden Park or a new city build that we don't get into a position where it has to also accommodate cricket. I love my cricket but it should be played on a field that is the proper shape. Auckland Cricket had the chance to embrace Western Springs as a new purpose built venue but kept pushing to be included in the larger options.
Why wouldn't it be a land lease or something similar? Same as the downtown stadium option on māori land?
A lot has been written about Eden Parks financial issues. The previous stadium plans had Mt Smart turned into a training ground or other options. Now with some investment and regular tenants it is thriving.
Also a bit more investment in the stadium is scheduled.
newsroom.co.nz
Also a bit more investment in the stadium is scheduled.
Magic in the maunga: the mid-sized stadium that could
A historic sports venue that shaped as an also-ran in the debate over future Auckland stadiums is now an unlikely and awarded success story. Tim Murphy looks at a revival for the ages.
newsroom.co.nz
NZWarriors.com
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I know I’m not the only one who feels absurdly moved by the spectacle of One NZ stadium at Te Kaha. Drive anywhere in the Christchurch CBD and you’ll see its white skeleton peeking around every corner. Head up the Port Hills and it’s plonked on the flat landscape like a giant roomba. Walk directly under it and be humbled by the scale, the optimism, the strength and resilience and all those other sappy buzzwords that I’m sure locals are really sick of hearing by now.
Replacing the quake-damaged Lancaster Park, the $683 million stadium has been under construction in central Christchurch for the last three years. Boasting a fully covered roof, 32 food and drink vendors and a maximum capacity of 37,300, the stadium is a monumental part of the city’s revitalisation. It is also not without controversy, with a budget increase of $150 million and a litany of locals decrying the “ridiculous” CBD location on every social media post.
Yesterday, media were invited inside the stadium to mark one year out from opening day. Donning high vis and hard hats (“no high heels” we were told in our safety briefing), we were ushered past pie-eating tradies and 500ml cans of V, through the Rainbows End turnstiles and onto a construction site that would make Peter Wolfkamp proud. It was crunch time on The Block NZ, and there were stacks of Gib and giant K’Nex pieces as far as the eye could see.
We walked up a flight of stairs and stood in the concourse area where construction director Brian Hayes gave us an update over a cacophony of sawing metal, trucks beeping in reverse and nearby sirens. The roof construction is set to be finished in the next few weeks, as is the cladding around the entire building to make the whole structure watertight. The turf is currently being grown offsite near the airport, and landscaping will also start in the next few weeks.
A view from the south end of the stadium. (Photo: Alex Casey)
It sounds like thirsty work, soon acknowledged by mayor Phil Mauger who pretended to order a glass of pinot from a nearby empty bar. Speaking of drinks, one of the unique features of the stadium is that the concourse provides unobstructed sightlines to the field of play, even from Phil Mauger’s pinot stand. “It’s a real drawcard because in a lot of places you will be busting for the toilet but you don’t want to miss the action,” project director Kent Summerfield later tells me.
We move to another spot to see the players’ tunnel and the 23 corporate boxes. Staring out across the enormous dirt floor, Mauger will not be drawn on his dream musical act. “Whatever it is or whoever it is, it will be good for the city because we haven’t had any of it for the last 13 years.” Sport will be “in the mix”, but there’s plenty of room for everyone. “I’ve heard about E-sports bringing in 20,000 people for a week – that’s every bit as good for the city as rugby.”
While he won’t get into specific artists, Mauger says concerts will form a huge part of the stadium’s function, also helped by the covered roof and a giant curtain that can be drawn across the 22 metre line for a more intimate set-up. “Up north, Adele sang in the pissing rain,” he says, peering up the nearly-finished clear plastic ceiling. “We won’t have that problem here.”
A view of the roof from the maintenance entrance. (Photo: Alex Casey)
One NZ stadium can host up to 15 concerts “at a louder level” every year, Summerfield soon tells me. “Of those, six can be at the higher thresholds – your Metallicas, your ACDCs – and nine at a medium-high threshold. Below that, we can have as many events as we like.” There will be 25,000 permanent seats with an extra 5000 that can be added, and standing room on the field taking the maximum capacity of the stadium to 37,300 people.
But given that it’s going to cost the Christchurch ratepayer $144 dollars for the first two years, decreasing over an estimated three decades, can locals expect a freebie ticket anytime soon? “That’s up to Venues Ōtautahi, and I’m sure they will be thinking about how to make Christchurch people as happy as possible,” says Mauger. “First of all, we have to see if it generates money. If it breaks even, I’m happy. If it generates money, I’m more than happy.”
One NZ Stadium in the middle of the CBD. (Photo: Supplied)
There’s also the question of transport. Given the CBD’s stop-starty grid layout and complicated one-way system, it’s hard not to shake visions of 30,000 furious Cantabrians honking all the way from Moorhouse Ave to Ashburton. “Like with Sail GP, I just want one free bus after another coming in and dropping people off from everywhere,” says Mauger. “People can also walk from the Terrace and catch the tram down, so it’s just going to make the whole city electric.”
And where are drivers going to park? “I have no idea,” says Mauger. “There are carparks down the road, but what we really want is that contingent of free buses coming in from, say, Hornby or the Palms.” Mauger recently attended the Formula One in Melbourne, and says he was taking notes. “Man, do they know how to move people – we’ve got to follow what they are doing and learn from them.” He failed to mention Melbourne’s comprehensive tram and train network.
The concourse, soon to be filled with food and drink vendors. (Photo: Alex Casey)
The mayor was soon rushed away to his next engagement and the media was left milling about, shooting B-roll and picking up last minute questions. I stood as close to the stands as I could get and watched as a suspended white steel beam spun slowly from a crane in the middle of the stadium. Through a gap in the north stand, the cardboard cathedral stood tall. I blinked back a pinprick of tears and vowed not to get too sappy about strength and resilience etc.
Thankfully, the poignant moment was immediately disrupted by the giant arm of lime green forklift, which appeared to be headed straight for us. “I’ve got to unload right where you fellas are standing,” a bemused tradie yelled from the ground.
With that, we exited through the gift shop / past the huge empty merchandise stand. Pausing at the maintenance entrance to look up at the giant roof one more time, a nearby piece of tape told a compelling one-sentence tale: “this door frame got ran over on level 1”. Strength! Resilience! Don’t get sappy! I handed in my hardhat and high vis and walked to my car past a prophetic mural that got the pinpricks going again: “something beautiful is bound to happen.”
This time next year, I guess we will know for sure.
Replacing the quake-damaged Lancaster Park, the $683 million stadium has been under construction in central Christchurch for the last three years. Boasting a fully covered roof, 32 food and drink vendors and a maximum capacity of 37,300, the stadium is a monumental part of the city’s revitalisation. It is also not without controversy, with a budget increase of $150 million and a litany of locals decrying the “ridiculous” CBD location on every social media post.
Yesterday, media were invited inside the stadium to mark one year out from opening day. Donning high vis and hard hats (“no high heels” we were told in our safety briefing), we were ushered past pie-eating tradies and 500ml cans of V, through the Rainbows End turnstiles and onto a construction site that would make Peter Wolfkamp proud. It was crunch time on The Block NZ, and there were stacks of Gib and giant K’Nex pieces as far as the eye could see.
We walked up a flight of stairs and stood in the concourse area where construction director Brian Hayes gave us an update over a cacophony of sawing metal, trucks beeping in reverse and nearby sirens. The roof construction is set to be finished in the next few weeks, as is the cladding around the entire building to make the whole structure watertight. The turf is currently being grown offsite near the airport, and landscaping will also start in the next few weeks.
A view from the south end of the stadium. (Photo: Alex Casey)
It sounds like thirsty work, soon acknowledged by mayor Phil Mauger who pretended to order a glass of pinot from a nearby empty bar. Speaking of drinks, one of the unique features of the stadium is that the concourse provides unobstructed sightlines to the field of play, even from Phil Mauger’s pinot stand. “It’s a real drawcard because in a lot of places you will be busting for the toilet but you don’t want to miss the action,” project director Kent Summerfield later tells me.
We move to another spot to see the players’ tunnel and the 23 corporate boxes. Staring out across the enormous dirt floor, Mauger will not be drawn on his dream musical act. “Whatever it is or whoever it is, it will be good for the city because we haven’t had any of it for the last 13 years.” Sport will be “in the mix”, but there’s plenty of room for everyone. “I’ve heard about E-sports bringing in 20,000 people for a week – that’s every bit as good for the city as rugby.”
While he won’t get into specific artists, Mauger says concerts will form a huge part of the stadium’s function, also helped by the covered roof and a giant curtain that can be drawn across the 22 metre line for a more intimate set-up. “Up north, Adele sang in the pissing rain,” he says, peering up the nearly-finished clear plastic ceiling. “We won’t have that problem here.”
A view of the roof from the maintenance entrance. (Photo: Alex Casey)
One NZ stadium can host up to 15 concerts “at a louder level” every year, Summerfield soon tells me. “Of those, six can be at the higher thresholds – your Metallicas, your ACDCs – and nine at a medium-high threshold. Below that, we can have as many events as we like.” There will be 25,000 permanent seats with an extra 5000 that can be added, and standing room on the field taking the maximum capacity of the stadium to 37,300 people.
But given that it’s going to cost the Christchurch ratepayer $144 dollars for the first two years, decreasing over an estimated three decades, can locals expect a freebie ticket anytime soon? “That’s up to Venues Ōtautahi, and I’m sure they will be thinking about how to make Christchurch people as happy as possible,” says Mauger. “First of all, we have to see if it generates money. If it breaks even, I’m happy. If it generates money, I’m more than happy.”
One NZ Stadium in the middle of the CBD. (Photo: Supplied)
There’s also the question of transport. Given the CBD’s stop-starty grid layout and complicated one-way system, it’s hard not to shake visions of 30,000 furious Cantabrians honking all the way from Moorhouse Ave to Ashburton. “Like with Sail GP, I just want one free bus after another coming in and dropping people off from everywhere,” says Mauger. “People can also walk from the Terrace and catch the tram down, so it’s just going to make the whole city electric.”
And where are drivers going to park? “I have no idea,” says Mauger. “There are carparks down the road, but what we really want is that contingent of free buses coming in from, say, Hornby or the Palms.” Mauger recently attended the Formula One in Melbourne, and says he was taking notes. “Man, do they know how to move people – we’ve got to follow what they are doing and learn from them.” He failed to mention Melbourne’s comprehensive tram and train network.
The concourse, soon to be filled with food and drink vendors. (Photo: Alex Casey)
The mayor was soon rushed away to his next engagement and the media was left milling about, shooting B-roll and picking up last minute questions. I stood as close to the stands as I could get and watched as a suspended white steel beam spun slowly from a crane in the middle of the stadium. Through a gap in the north stand, the cardboard cathedral stood tall. I blinked back a pinprick of tears and vowed not to get too sappy about strength and resilience etc.
Thankfully, the poignant moment was immediately disrupted by the giant arm of lime green forklift, which appeared to be headed straight for us. “I’ve got to unload right where you fellas are standing,” a bemused tradie yelled from the ground.
With that, we exited through the gift shop / past the huge empty merchandise stand. Pausing at the maintenance entrance to look up at the giant roof one more time, a nearby piece of tape told a compelling one-sentence tale: “this door frame got ran over on level 1”. Strength! Resilience! Don’t get sappy! I handed in my hardhat and high vis and walked to my car past a prophetic mural that got the pinpricks going again: “something beautiful is bound to happen.”
This time next year, I guess we will know for sure.
The reporter doesn't seem to be overly enthralled by a new stadium!I know I’m not the only one who feels absurdly moved by the spectacle of One NZ stadium at Te Kaha. Drive anywhere in the Christchurch CBD and you’ll see its white skeleton peeking around every corner. Head up the Port Hills and it’s plonked on the flat landscape like a giant roomba. Walk directly under it and be humbled by the scale, the optimism, the strength and resilience and all those other sappy buzzwords that I’m sure locals are really sick of hearing by now.
Replacing the quake-damaged Lancaster Park, the $683 million stadium has been under construction in central Christchurch for the last three years. Boasting a fully covered roof, 32 food and drink vendors and a maximum capacity of 37,300, the stadium is a monumental part of the city’s revitalisation. It is also not without controversy, with a budget increase of $150 million and a litany of locals decrying the “ridiculous” CBD location on every social media post.
Yesterday, media were invited inside the stadium to mark one year out from opening day. Donning high vis and hard hats (“no high heels” we were told in our safety briefing), we were ushered past pie-eating tradies and 500ml cans of V, through the Rainbows End turnstiles and onto a construction site that would make Peter Wolfkamp proud. It was crunch time on The Block NZ, and there were stacks of Gib and giant K’Nex pieces as far as the eye could see.
We walked up a flight of stairs and stood in the concourse area where construction director Brian Hayes gave us an update over a cacophony of sawing metal, trucks beeping in reverse and nearby sirens. The roof construction is set to be finished in the next few weeks, as is the cladding around the entire building to make the whole structure watertight. The turf is currently being grown offsite near the airport, and landscaping will also start in the next few weeks.
A view from the south end of the stadium. (Photo: Alex Casey)
It sounds like thirsty work, soon acknowledged by mayor Phil Mauger who pretended to order a glass of pinot from a nearby empty bar. Speaking of drinks, one of the unique features of the stadium is that the concourse provides unobstructed sightlines to the field of play, even from Phil Mauger’s pinot stand. “It’s a real drawcard because in a lot of places you will be busting for the toilet but you don’t want to miss the action,” project director Kent Summerfield later tells me.
We move to another spot to see the players’ tunnel and the 23 corporate boxes. Staring out across the enormous dirt floor, Mauger will not be drawn on his dream musical act. “Whatever it is or whoever it is, it will be good for the city because we haven’t had any of it for the last 13 years.” Sport will be “in the mix”, but there’s plenty of room for everyone. “I’ve heard about E-sports bringing in 20,000 people for a week – that’s every bit as good for the city as rugby.”
While he won’t get into specific artists, Mauger says concerts will form a huge part of the stadium’s function, also helped by the covered roof and a giant curtain that can be drawn across the 22 metre line for a more intimate set-up. “Up north, Adele sang in the pissing rain,” he says, peering up the nearly-finished clear plastic ceiling. “We won’t have that problem here.”
A view of the roof from the maintenance entrance. (Photo: Alex Casey)
One NZ stadium can host up to 15 concerts “at a louder level” every year, Summerfield soon tells me. “Of those, six can be at the higher thresholds – your Metallicas, your ACDCs – and nine at a medium-high threshold. Below that, we can have as many events as we like.” There will be 25,000 permanent seats with an extra 5000 that can be added, and standing room on the field taking the maximum capacity of the stadium to 37,300 people.
But given that it’s going to cost the Christchurch ratepayer $144 dollars for the first two years, decreasing over an estimated three decades, can locals expect a freebie ticket anytime soon? “That’s up to Venues Ōtautahi, and I’m sure they will be thinking about how to make Christchurch people as happy as possible,” says Mauger. “First of all, we have to see if it generates money. If it breaks even, I’m happy. If it generates money, I’m more than happy.”
One NZ Stadium in the middle of the CBD. (Photo: Supplied)
There’s also the question of transport. Given the CBD’s stop-starty grid layout and complicated one-way system, it’s hard not to shake visions of 30,000 furious Cantabrians honking all the way from Moorhouse Ave to Ashburton. “Like with Sail GP, I just want one free bus after another coming in and dropping people off from everywhere,” says Mauger. “People can also walk from the Terrace and catch the tram down, so it’s just going to make the whole city electric.”
And where are drivers going to park? “I have no idea,” says Mauger. “There are carparks down the road, but what we really want is that contingent of free buses coming in from, say, Hornby or the Palms.” Mauger recently attended the Formula One in Melbourne, and says he was taking notes. “Man, do they know how to move people – we’ve got to follow what they are doing and learn from them.” He failed to mention Melbourne’s comprehensive tram and train network.
The concourse, soon to be filled with food and drink vendors. (Photo: Alex Casey)
The mayor was soon rushed away to his next engagement and the media was left milling about, shooting B-roll and picking up last minute questions. I stood as close to the stands as I could get and watched as a suspended white steel beam spun slowly from a crane in the middle of the stadium. Through a gap in the north stand, the cardboard cathedral stood tall. I blinked back a pinprick of tears and vowed not to get too sappy about strength and resilience etc.
Thankfully, the poignant moment was immediately disrupted by the giant arm of lime green forklift, which appeared to be headed straight for us. “I’ve got to unload right where you fellas are standing,” a bemused tradie yelled from the ground.
With that, we exited through the gift shop / past the huge empty merchandise stand. Pausing at the maintenance entrance to look up at the giant roof one more time, a nearby piece of tape told a compelling one-sentence tale: “this door frame got ran over on level 1”. Strength! Resilience! Don’t get sappy! I handed in my hardhat and high vis and walked to my car past a prophetic mural that got the pinpricks going again: “something beautiful is bound to happen.”
This time next year, I guess we will know for sure.
How many Auckland people would be happy to have a new covered 25k-30k stadium like this? It would be great I think
30,000 max for a big sporting event - 25,000 regular - at least they didn't get too carried away and try and build something giant. and its actually in the city.
auckland will be underwater before they get something like that
auckland will be underwater before they get something like that
NZWarriors.com
It was actually quite moving, even if they were being sarcastic.The reporter doesn't seem to be overly enthralled by a new stadium!
Auckland Arena: Stadium images released by Auckland FC’s billionaire owners
A new video has given Aucklanders a closer look at the Western Springs Stadium proposal backed by Auckland FC and their billionaire owners.
The footage features in a campaign to generate public support for the stadium, which has been called Auckland Arena.
The proposal’s dedicated website features a 15,000-seat rectangular stadium design. Last month, a statement from the group behind the bid had said it would seat 12,500.
A prominent outer bowl would accommodate additional spectators of 25,000 for live concert events.
Images of the facility – which features the Auckland FC logo – include covered padel courts, indoor basketball courts, community training grounds, a lake-view seating area, hospitality and car parking.
It also shows what the stadium could look like when hosting concerts.
Auckland Arena has also launched its Instagram and TikTok pages but has yet to make its first post.
Auckland FC co-owners, businesswoman Anna Mowbray, her husband, former All Blacks lock Ali Williams and American businessman Bill Foley, are listed on the website as Auckland Arena’s founders.
“Western Springs is just crying for it to happen,” Williams told the Herald.
“[The idea] stems from, one, a deep connection with Auckland, for myself around how great the city is – and I think we all know how great it is – but how do we enhance that?
“And then you sit experiencing a stadium infrastructure for so many years, it’s like how can we enhance it and the reality is that Auckland needs a stadium which is sort of 15,000 [capacity] – smaller, more boutique, more intimate. So the fans and the people have a better experience of sport and the process before the sport, during the sport and after it.”
Auckland FC are listed as an official supporter of the arena.
Speaking with the Herald, Williams said the facility can be built at zero cost to the ratepayer with $300 million in private funding secured already to deliver the project.
It estimates the facility would generate $100m-plus annually for the Auckland community.
“I don’t have a lot to contribute to it privately [personally],” Williams admitted.
“But that’s the cornerstone at the moment. Whether there’s more and how that looks, we don’t know just yet, but you know, the fact is we don’t need any more, with Anna and Bill.”
The website says: “Anchored by a boutique community stadium, our multi-purpose entertainment precinct is deliberately designed to cater for our community and sporting excellence.”
It calls for locals to support the concept, suggesting it can solve a “gap in [the] current Auckland stadium network“.
Williams told the Herald he sees a high-performance sport base with a medical facility attached – similar to the NZCIS complex in Wellington – going nicely alongside the Auckland Zoo and Motat.
“This will be a base for high-performance sport with individuals or all sorts of codes from football to rugby to whatever code that New Zealand aspires to.
“If you can tie all those three in together, then it makes it makes a compelling story that Aucklanders can get behind.
“It’s got to be interactive, it’s got to be lively, it’s got to be a precinct.”
Auckland Council is considering two rival bids to develop stadium facilities at Western Springs, with the Auckland FC billionaires up against a joint proposal from the Ponsonby Rugby Club and music promoter CRS Records.
The 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.
The club’s current lease expires in 2027.
The digger is ready
Williams said they are awaiting a decision from the council, which he expects will be revealed in a couple of months.“We’re sitting there waiting for [the] council to accept and give us a lease.
“One of the important elements is we’re not taking from the city, buy the land, we’re actually just leasing the land off it, so we will never own the land.
“We’ve got a digger and we’re ready to go now.
“In terms of plans, that always takes a lot of time, but look, we’re not gonna muck around.”
Williams said he’s confident they could be the group to receive the green light.
“There’s no elements that will change for the locals in terms of noises and things like that.
“I believe it will really add to the locals in the community, because it’s an all-inclusive part.
“The fact that we’re not asking people to put into their own pockets, we’re not asking [the] council to pay for anything. That should be a fair indication that there’s a good, there’s a higher chance than less.”
Not a sabotage
Williams, a former member at Ponsonby Rugby Club who reckons he’s played on their Western Springs home pitch more than most others, said this stadium “is not a sabotage”.“I want to see the best for the club. I think there are some obvious solutions that everyone has talked about around Cox’s Bay.
“For me, we’re very open to supporting their decision, but at the end of the day we look at the club, we look at this as a greater Auckland opportunity.”
In a statement last month, Mowbray said their group’s proposal would not require public funding.
“The heart of the complex will be the 12,500-seat stadium, which will become [the] home for Auckland FC. The city has a stadium shortage, which this will help to rectify. The complex is expected to create long-term social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits for Auckland without any burden of cost to the ratepayer.
“The proposal is backed by local and international investors, with local motivation around giving back to Auckland. Auckland FC, who this will become the new home of, [have] seen massive success in [their] first season, creating a loyal and significant fan base in the city.”
Auckland city councillor John Watson, who was at a closed-door meeting on the Auckland Arena proposal last month, said at the time it was unfortunate discussions had entered the public domain.
He highlighted concern about a private development on public land.
“Is this a publicly owned asset essentially being privatised?”
The $300m stadium plan for Western Springs: New images released
Auckland Arena launched its website and social media to gain public support.
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