McLean Park job standout for firm

McLean Park Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

Richard Knill, national events manager for Auckland-based Acrow Events, has been in the scaffolding and seating construction business for about 30 years and has overseen hundreds of projects - but the McLean Park job for the All Blacks-Argentina clash on September 6 was something of a stand-out.

"Yes, I've been involved in a few but, in fairness, this one is exceptional," Mr Knill said.

"It's not so much in the total number of seats we're putting up, which is about 13,000, it is exceptional because one of the stands is a 9000-seater."

He said the company rarely built seating of that size.

"The 3000 to 4000 seaters are more common so this one is right up there."

The last time Acrow's crews put up a giant temporary stand was at the Sydney Olympics where they put up16,000 additional seats. One lot of seating involved about 11,000 seats while the rest were 3000-4000 seat units.

Mr Knill said the work, which got under way about three weeks ago, had gone smoothly and there had been no issues.

Stability and strength were paramount.

"We go through an extensive process - whether it's putting up nine or 9000 seats."

The McLean Park project is set to be wrapped up in the next few days and the finished result will be inspected by council staff and an independent engineer.

Mr Knill said the company arranged seating for everything from local scout jamborees to major sports and entertainment events and had long-standing links with the New Zealand Rugby Union as well as New Zealand Cricket - the next location for the seats currently on site at McLean Park will be Hagley Park in Christchurch for the cricket season. And while the usual dismantling time was two days after an event, in this case it could be a case of "wait and see".

Mr Knill said there were indications the seating could stay in place in the event of the Magpies lifting the Ranfurly Shield off Counties-Manukau on August 30.

If they did so, they would then face home challenges against Otago on September 14 and Bay of Plenty a week later - games that would draw big crowds.

The All Blacks clash, the first time they have played in Napier since 1996 when they took on Samoa, is expected to be a 22,750 spectators sell-out, although some seats are still available.

"We need to get through to Hawke's Bay people that they really need to get their tickets now because I'm pretty sure they will sell out and there will be no walk-up tickets available on the day," Hawke's Bay Rugby Union commercial manager Jay Campbell said.

"This is the blueprint for big games at McLean Park - we show we can fill this one we will get more."

Mr Campbell's advice to the undecided?

"Get them now because there is nothing like being there."

Test tickets are available through ticketdirect.co.nz