The consortium behind a proposed new stadium precinct in Auckland’s Quay Park believes the development will provide transformation “on a global scale” for the city.
The detailed plans - unveiled for the first time by the Weekend Herald - include up to four hotels - among them a signature All Blacks hotel integrated into the stadium, along with bars, restaurants and retail outlets, commercial office space and scope for about 2000 residential apartments, framed by public plazas and park areas.
Anchoring the precinct is the spectacular 50,000-seat stadium (which can be scaled down to 20,000 capacity for smaller events) with a unique sculptured design inspired by Auckland’s isthmus and cultural heritage.
And rather than inward facing like many stadia, it looks out towards the Waitematā Harbour, with a panorama of Rangitoto. The stadium, which also features an “accordion” style retractable roof, has an iconic look that designers hope in time could become Auckland’s equivalent of the Sydney Opera House.
But the backers of the Te Tōangaroa bid are emphasising substance as much as style. They see the stadium as an enabler for a complete regeneration of the eastern end of the waterfront, bringing activity, focus and economic development.
The arena will be the central focus of a new 15ha urban neighbourhood, bordered by Spark Arena and Quay Street, on Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei land, in the old Auckland Railways yard.
Former Warriors chief executive Jim Doyle, who heads the consortium, says the stadium will be a game changer.
“The stadium represents the very best of who we are as New Zealand and Aotearoa,” Doyle told the Weekend Herald. “But more than that, this is transformation on a global scale. It’s not just a stadium, it’s an entire precinct. The economic development it creates will be massive and is going to drive a significant difference to the city and the country.”
The Te Tōangaroa proposal is one of four pitches under consideration by an Auckland Council working group, who are expected to make a recommendation by the end of March.
The others are the 70,000-seat “sunken stadium” at Bledisloe Wharf, complete with a floating roof, along with the 55,000-capacity facility at Wynyard Point, which also features an indoor arena and outdoor amphitheatre. The fourth option is Eden Park 2.1, with a roof and three new grandstands.
The potential of the Te Tōangaroa bid has attracted some big global players in the stadium industry.
Goldman Sachs - the second-biggest investment bank in the world - is a partner in the consortium. They were behind the construction of Tottenham Hotspur’s new facility in London, along with numerous arenas in Europe and the US.
Renowned architectural company HKS, whose recent award-winning projects include the SoFi stadium in California and the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, are also on board, along with British infrastructure investor John Laing Group, who backed the development of Optus stadium in Perth.
The consortium also includes global and local experts in planning, engineering, infrastructure, environmental impact and Kaupapa Māori.
As revealed by the Herald last December, New Zealand Rugby are also backing the proposal and are part of the consortium.
As the landowner, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is the key stakeholder. While they are yet to officially commit to an agreement, it’s believed they have been part of the process.
According to Doyle, the Quay Park site has numerous positives. He points to the access – near convergent points for buses, rail and ferries and complimentary to the new City Rail Link. And although it is a downtown option, it wouldn’t be built on prime waterfront land, unlike the other two city centre proposals.
“That’s an important difference for us,” said Doyle.
The site was identified as the optimal area for a central city stadium in a 2017 feasibility study conducted by PWC, on behalf of Regional Facilities Auckland, which assessed five options, including Bledisloe Wharf, Wynyard Point and Victoria Park.
Creating the best possible fan experience has been a key driver. While that includes the essential elements - such as an elevated seating pitch, the closest possible proximity to the field of play and easy flow around the facility - the consortium has also taken a broader view.
“The fan experience begins from home,” said Doyle. “It’s getting to an event, what you do pre-event, the event itself and then what you do post-event and then getting home... that is all part of it. We like to talk about the ‘last mile’. Look at what is available to everybody that is coming to an event within a mile, compared to other existing stadiums around the city.”
Doyle said that while preliminary costings have been done, the full financial equation wouldn’t be known until the plans are confirmed. The majority of investment will come from the private sector - with significant overseas interest already - though both council and government will need to contribute “in some form”.
“This will be a much cheaper option than doing nothing and eventually having to spend whatever it is - a billion or a billion and a half - on Eden Park,” asserts Doyle. “If the council do nothing, at some point in time they will have to spend a lot of money on essentially having the same as they have presently got.”
“This will cost significantly less because we will put together a private-public partnership (PPP) because of the residential, commercial, hotels and everything else. “We know for a fact - from a council and government point of view - building this will be cheaper and have much better outcomes all around - than it will be to do nothing and eventually have to write a big cheque for Eden Park.”
Doyle, who has also held key roles at the NRL and New Zealand Rugby League, has been working with local stadiums’ specialist Paul Nisbet on the proposal since 2021. Before becoming a consultant, Nisbet was a stadium director at Regional Facilities Auckland and Auckland Unlimited.
“The city deserves a world-class stadium,” says Doyle. “So do the All Blacks, the Blues, the Warriors, the Auckland A-League team and any other sporting franchises. We want Auckland to have a lot more events and our sporting teams to be successful. This is about what we can do now, for generations to come.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.
The new team is a combined effort with the Australian government.