Gael Monfils speaks to media after beating Zizou Bergs in the ASB Classic final.
Video / NZ Herald
The 2027 ASB Classic will be played under a roof inside a redeveloped, larger stadium.
That’s the ambitious vision of tournament organisers, as they hope to future-proof the event, make it bigger and better, and take weather conditions out of the equation.
And according to Tennis Auckland, this is a realistic goal rather than a lofty dream.
The idea is not new. A covered structure at Stanley St has been discussed for most of this century, with multiple proposals.
But this one is well under way, with a portion of the $15 million price tag already committed.
As the ASB Classic fortnight comes to an end, the tournament venue could be set for the biggest shake-up in its long history.
“The time is right and there are so many reasons for that,” Tennis Auckland chief executive Rohan West said. “It’s an opportunity for us to protect and enhance the event, and we have to take it.”
The current project has been discussed for several years, but a flashpoint came in 2023 as Auckland was lashed by rain.
That waterlogged fortnight, when stars such as Casper Ruud and Emma Raducanu were forced to play indoors in front of no spectators, while five of the first eight women’s sessions were washed out, was a catalyst to accelerate the plan.
Tennis Auckland settled on a structure modelled on the South Australian Tennis Centre, which hosts the Adelaide WTA 500 and ATP 250 events.
An artist's render of the proposed covered stadium at Stanley Street. Supplied.
The high roof offers a canopy-like effect: parts of the skyline are still visible and the breeze and natural light pass through, while it offers protection from the rain. It also means Auckland can retain its designation as an outdoor event.
Resource consent was confirmed in September. At the same time, Manuka Doctor agreed to a 10-year naming rights sponsorship of the arena.
That agreement included a $600,000 donation to the roof project, while discussions are ongoing – “we are 90% of the way there” – with a benefactor family for a further pledge of $1.2m.
“We’re off to the races in that respect,” said West. “Once we get those two, we’re 15% to 18% of the way to the final number.”
Tennis Auckland’s immediate past president Greg Lee is leading the fundraising efforts.
“There’s a lot of well-to-do families who have an interest in tennis, plus businesses, foundations,” said Lee. “And there are opportunities with central and local government that are opening up. We feel like the stars are aligning on this one.”
The first phase of the project will see the demolition of the Robinson Stand, which is more than 70 years old.
That step has been brought forward because of the need to enlarge the court area by up to 4m to fit with revised ATP Tour specifications.
The proposed new covered stadium could be used for concerts, Tennis Auckland said.
“We are now inside the minimum,” said West. “Players are bigger, stronger, faster, playing the game much deeper than they ever have. So if we don’t do it, there will come a point where the ATP will start to look at this pretty strictly and say, actually, we might not give you the waiver soon.”
That step is contingent on board approval but West feels there is no choice. The stand will be replaced by a temporary scaffolding overlay grandstand, similar to those at Monaco, Queens and other tournaments around the world.
That will lift the capacity at that end from 880 seats, a quarter of which have restricted views, to 1200, with no sightline issues. There will be different tiers of seating, with West mentioning a “President’s Box” as an option.
The enlarged court area would also increase capability for other sporting events, with space for two basketball, netball or beach volleyball courts, a futsal pitch or four 3x3 basketball courts.
“At the moment, we could only do a fraction of those,” said West.
Subject to board approval, demolition would start in June, followed by infrastructure work – water, waste, electricity – to allow a “plug and play” scenario for the temporary grandstand.
The second – and critical phase – is the installation of the roof. Tennis Auckland have engaged with four manufacturers of the canopy, made from a tensile membrane fabric; two of which have completed arenas in Australia.
There would be a six-month off-site prefabrication and build, followed by a three-month on-site installation.
The proposed covered stadium at Stanley Street is expected to cost $15m.
“We could do it within the window of one tournament,” said West. “Break ground February or March 2026, ready to go January 2027.”
After an extensive fact-finding mission a few years ago, the canopy quickly became the preferred option. A retractable roof like at Wimbledon or the Australian Open wasn’t realistic in terms of cost, while the 2015 proposal, which featured upgrades of three grandstands also wasn’t economically feasible.
But is a roof necessary? There are few outdoor tennis tournaments at WTA or ATP 250 level that have capacity for a covered centre court, and when the weather is kind, like in 2024, Stanley St is a great place to be, in bright sunshine with skyline views.
But West is unequivocal. He points out all competing events across the fortnight either have a roof or are thinking about installing one.
“In our window, we have fallen behind our competitors, and the Aussies, in particular, have shown us up.”
The benefits are numerous. It will safeguard the event against weather issues, postponements and cancellations, and make it more attractive to players, offering certainty in their schedule ahead of the Australian Open.
Spectators will enjoy the modern arena, shaded from extreme heat, and advance ticket sales should increase. Tennis Auckland will also face hugely reduced weather-related insurance premiums, currently around $450,000 annually, money that can be redirected to the community game, along with more certainty for sponsors, broadcasters and commercial partners.
Most importantly, West says the upgrade will protect one of New Zealand’s biggest sporting assets, which injects millions into the Auckland economy each year.
“We need to think about the future. We can’t afford to lose this event to another city.”
While Auckland is entrenched and popular, WTA or ATP licences are highly competitive, with constant interest from Asia and the Middle East in particular.
The secondary benefit will be a new all-purpose arena that could be used for music, theatre, conferences, exhibitions and other sports, from boxing to beach volleyball. The overall capacity for tennis will also increase from 3100 to 3500.
Finding the money will be the biggest challenge but West and Lee are confident. They believe there are council and government avenues for contributions, though most will come from the private sector.
“It’s old-fashioned shoe leather,” said Lee. “Getting in front of people, showing them the benefits. It’s going to take a lot of effort and energy but we are ready for that.
“It’d be nice if somebody came in with a pot of gold – $15m – and said, ‘I love what you’re doing, I want to be involved’, and who knows, maybe there’s somebody or an entity out there, but we’re not counting on that.”
There was additional positive news yesterday, with ASB announcing a sponsorship extension for another three years, to 2027. The bank has been the title sponsor of the women’s event since 1997, adding the men’s tournament in 2016.
This fortnight has been another success, with record ticket sales beating the 2024 numbers. But West hopes there is much more to come.
