Options for new city stadium on the table
The journey towards a solution to Auckland’s stadium issues is a step closer, after a series of presentations to a council working group.
The panel, which was set up in September by Mayor Wayne Brown, is tasked with finding the best long- term option for a main stadium in the city, then making a non- binding recommendation to the wider council.
There were eight interested parties who submitted expressions of interest earlier this year but that field has since narrowed.
The final quartet of proposals 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 t wo other grandstands and a pedestrian accessway crossing Sandringham Rd.
● Waterfront Arena Aotearoa. This proposal, first mooted by the Waterfront Consortium in 2018, i s centred on a 50,000- seat facility at Bledisloe wharf, which can increase to 70,000.
● The Tank Farm. Based at Wynyard Pt, this i s 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 Maori Statutory representative) and key mayoral adviser Simon Johnston.
“It went really well,” Henderson told the Weekend 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 independent assessment of the four pitches by a consulting company — believed to not be one of the four — who will report back to the working group.
“It’s about kicking the tyres and getting a second opinion,” said Henderson.
“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 strong expertise.” Henderson said there were “quite different” financial models.
It’s believed that two of the downtown options were priced at more than $ 1 billion, with a third considerably more. Eden Park’s costing for their ambitious renovation was around $ 850 million. Brown has already instructed that minimal ratepayer funds will be available while central government has yet to commit. An industry expert told the Weekend Herald that the proposed main stadium, wherever it i s 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.
This is obviously a huge investment, both in terms of finances and the future of the city for decades to come.
Councillor Shane Henderson
The working group are scheduled to meet once more next month before forwarding their recommendations to 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 on the agenda,” said Henderson. “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,” he added.