Eden Park wants 12 concerts a year: What would that mean for Kiwis?

Six60 performing at Eden Park in April, 2021.

Securing shows is “extremely” competitive, stadiums across the Tasman are upping their quota, and Kiwis are flying to Australia to see stars like Taylor Swift. Can New Zealand compete? By applying for resource consent to hold 12 concerts a year – twice its current limit – Eden Park hopes so. Fans will be happy, but what about the residents?

Eden Park wants to put on more live music, double what it’s doing now. Currently able to hold six concerts per year, this presents a challenge for the stadium; the limit “restricts our ability to attract and accommodate top-tier international acts”, says Eden Park Trust’s chief executive officer Nick Sautner.

Touring is big and getting bigger. Artists are putting on more elaborate shows – Taylor Swift’s stage alone is 90m long – and travelling longer and further, and concerts generate considerable content for media, marketing and fans.

Big music names require space and flexibility to put on multiple shows to answer demand. “Our current consent doesn’t make this possible,” says Sautner. “Which means artists are bypassing New Zealand and fans are missing out.”

Kiwis have expressed frustration at missing out on Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna and Billie Eilish – none included local dates in their world tours.

New Zealand also missed out on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, with Sautner telling the Herald’s Lillie Rohan in February that space wasn’t a problem at Eden Park, and the issue was the six-concerts-per-year resource consent restrictions.

Determined Kiwi Swifties flew to Sydney and Melbourne instead, spending thousands on tickets and flights.

Securing shows is “extremely” competitive, Sautner explains. Stadiums across the Tasman are increasing their concert quota – Sydney Football Stadium was upped to 20 concerts a year – and he wants the Auckland venue to do the same.

Eden Park’s business model is changing. “70% of our attendance comes from events that were not part of our business model five years ago,” says Sautner.

Billy Joel playing at Eden Park in December 2022. Photo / Dean Purcell

It has seen some big acts in recent years, with international shows by Pink, Ed Sheeran and Billy Joel.

But the Eden Park Trust wants more. It has sought resource consent to hold up to 12 concert events in any calendar year “performed by no more than six different artists or acts (excluding supporting acts)”, the Auckland Council website reads, and could take place on weekdays, weekends and public holidays.

The impact of a show goes beyond the fans, and Sautner notes there’s an economic boost for tourism, accommodation, hospitality, and employment when a big show comes to town. Reporting on the submission last month, the Herald’s Anne Gibson pointed out Auckland hotels hit 97% occupancy during Pink concerts. Had the Eras Tour come to New Zealand, it could have generated as much as $70 million for the economy.

Tucked behind the train line, Eden Park is uniquely situated. Within walking distance from the eateries and shops of Kingsland and Dominion Rd and close to the central city hotels, it’s also a residential part of town.

Six60 on the corner of Dominion Rd and Walters Rd, Mt Eden. Photo / Andrew Cornaga

How do the neighbours feel?

“Our members welcome more live music in our neighbourhood,” a representative of the Eden Park Residents Association told the Herald.

A survey of its members in May shows 91% supported Eden Park Trust’s proposal “in whole or part” and 70% of members supported “all aspects” of the application, “including increasing crowd sizes to 60,000 on weekdays and changing weekday sound check times”.

Many mentioned the buzz it brings to the neighbourhood, and the economic benefits.

“We bought in the area for the vibrancy of Eden Park, it was not a surprise and more people get enjoyment from attending games/concerts (while maybe not our taste), it all adds to the excitement of the city,” one said.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea, concerts bring so much life to the area and I enjoy having all the concert goers around,” another responded. “It is also really good for the businesses in the area.”

Concerts are a relatively new thing for the 118-year-old venue; in 2021, local hitmakers Six60 made history becoming the first Kiwi band to headline a concert at the stadium, and the first it had hosted since 1975′s visit by Donny and Marie Osmond.

Coldplay are playing three shows there in November, the first time an artist has ever done so (Eden Park even commissioned a mural in honour of the tour), and Travis Scott will be on stage at the end of October.

Submissions close Monday, September 2. The next steps will see Auckland Council reviewing all the public submissions and conducting expert assessments. It will then hold a public hearing, before announcing its final decision.

Emma Gleason is the Herald’s lifestyle and entertainment deputy editor. Based in Auckland, she covers culture, fashion and media.