Eden Park, one of two proposals wanting to be Auckland's "main stadium".
Eden Park, one of two proposals wanting to be Auckland's "main stadium".
Auckland councillors endorsed Eden Park’s redevelopment as the city’s main stadium, requiring private funding.
The council rejected a waterfront stadium proposal, citing feasibility issues without significant public funding.
Eden Park’s plan includes a retractable roof and new grandstands, but lacks funding prospects.
Auckland councillors have thrown Eden Park a lifeline to become the city’s “main stadium”, but the private owners will have to magic up hundreds of millions of dollars to earn the title.
Following a three-hour debate today, councillors voted 17-2 with one abstention to endorse in principle a staged redevelopment of Eden Park as the best and most feasible option for a fit-for-purpose main stadium.
In the words of Mayor Wayne Brown, the council is “injecting a bit of oxygen” into Eden Park.
Councillors rejected a second proposal on the waterfront at Quay Park.
That plan, Te Tōangaroa, includes a 50,000-seat stadium that can be scaled down to 20,000 capacity for smaller events, up to four hotels, hospitality, scope for 2000 apartments plus commercial offices.
An artist's impression of the proposed Te Tōangaroa stadium.
Analysis by council officers found both plans are not feasible without significant public funding.
The decision leaves the privately owned Eden Park Trust with little prospect of funding its 2.1 vision for a retractable roof, three new grandstands and a pedestrian promenade costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
The council, which has an outstanding loan of $48.8 million from Eden Park, has no plans for funding, and Associate Sports Minister Chris Bishop holds out little hope for Government funding.
He said the Government has not been approached by Eden Park seeking $110m for the first stage of its 2.1 plan, development of the Lower North Stand, as suggested in a council report.
This would be followed by redeveloping the Upper North Stand with potential additions such as hotel and student accommodation. Stage 3 would see the installation of a retractable roof.
“Given the constrained fiscal environment New Zealand is facing and large demands for capital expenditure in health, education and transport, there would be a high bar for government funding,” Bishop said.
The council report said Te Tōangaroa is possibly commercially feasible, but had little confidence it could be delivered because it depends on “optimistic assumptions” regarding infrastructure, construction costs and financing.
It would also require the closure of Mt Eden and Go Media (Mt Smart) and all content going to Te Tōangaroa, leading to scheduling conflicts.
The Te Tōangaroa consortium has indicated it needs another 12 months to provide greater certainty about their proposal, which would be privately funded through revenue from developing the 15ha precinct.
Councillor Shane Henderson has chaired the working party looking into the "main stadium". Photo / Michael Craig
Councillor Shane Henderson, who spent two years chairing the Stadiums Working Group for the “main stadium” project, said today’s decision ticked off something on the civic to-do list for generations.
“Both options are visionary in their own ways. What is most important is we will be a major player as a city in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing cultural events, sporting events, you name it,” he said.
Eden Park Trust Board chair Kereyn Smith said the staged approach gives Eden Park the certainty to plan, the flexibility to deliver, and the ability to respond to the needs of Aucklanders and New Zealanders alike.
“We look forward to working with both Auckland Council and central government to make this opportunity a reality,” she said.
Councillor Mike Lee, who abstained on the vote to back Eden Park, said the three-hour debate had come up with a big fat zero, saying the council loves it but won’t pay a cent.
Speaking as a “decorated veteran of stadium debates”, Lee said: “It’s almost a batty aspect of public life in Auckland and a debate that doesn’t go away and probably never will.”
The council has been trying to put the city’s stadiums on “a more sustainable financial footing” since June 2012.
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