North Harbour Stadium faces demolition

The future of North Harbour Stadium appears bleak, with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, on behalf of the council, proposing to knock it down and build indoor and outdoor community facilities on the Albany site.

North Harbour Stadium has become a white elephant, rarely used and running at a heavy loss to Auckland ratepayers.

The entire North Harbour Precinct, which includes five community playing fields, the main stadium, a smaller No 2 ground and Albany Stadium Pool, is owned and operated by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited. But usage of the main stadium, which was opened in 1997, has shrunk considerably over the years and Auckland Council in its Long Term Plan is seeking feedback on options for its future.

Those options are to continue with the stadium as it is and spend $33m over the next 10 years for its upkeep, or put that money towards a combination of fit-forpurpose facilities for indoor and outdoor sports.

The numbers for the stadium are grim. For the 2022-23 financial year, the ratepayer subsidised every attendee to an event there to the tune of $35.68.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill believes it’s time to face reality about the stadium.

“The data shows that it’s just not being utilised at a level that justifies the current stadium and the council is looking to use its assets and facilities as efficiently as it can,” Hill said. “That does force the community to make some choices and I think we’re at that point.’’

Although the stadium has been used for All Blacks and Kiwis tests, Blues and All Whites games, concert promoters and sports organisations no longer want to use it.