Chch residents not exempt from stadium ticket levy

Otago Daily Times

2 days ago

Christchurch residents hoping to avoid a potential ticket levy for events at One New Zealand Stadium are out of luck.
The stadium's operator, city council-owned Venues Ōtautahi, has told The Star there will be no region or location-based ticket levy, despite earlier suggestions from some city councillors and Mayor Phil Mauger.
Instead, any ticket levy will apply to all ticketholders, including those in Christchurch, who contributed ratepayer funds to the stadium's construction.
'We can confirm there will not be a regionally targeted ticket levy for ticket purchasers outside the Christchurch City Council region. Regionally targeted levies are difficult to enforce and not supported by our ticketing systems,' said Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare in an emailed statement.
Mauger and Waimairi Ward councillor Sam MacDonald first proposed the idea of a location-based ticket levy in August 2023, suggesting it could help offset operating costs by charging more to people living outside Christchurch.
However, both Mauger and the city council have since dropped efforts to seek funding contributions from other district councils.
Venues Ōtautahi confirmed to The Star in April it had ruled out ratepayers from neighbouring district councils contributing funds to the stadium's operating costs.
While a ticket levy is still under consideration, Harvie-Teare said it would apply to all ticket holders, regardless of where they live, and would depend on the type of event and ticket pricing.
'Ticket levies are standard practice across industry and apply to most major venues across the country to cover costs such as repairs and maintenance. These levies can vary from venue to venue, event to event.'
Ticket levies are already used in some form at Auckland's Eden Park and Spark Arena.
The $683 million stadium in Christchurch will open next April with a 30,000 capacity for sports matches and 36,000 for concerts.
Venues Ōtautahi is staying mostly quiet about its plan to pay for events funding at the stadium and what will be covered by its own revenue, as opposed to city council money.
Venues Ōtautahi refused to release the stadium's business plan to The Star, with Harvie-Teare saying it is 'commercially sensitive.'
The Star, under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, has requested Venues Ōtautahi's business plan for the stadium.
Harvie-Teare would also not comment on what aspects of events, such as security, will be funded by the ratepayer and which will be paid for by the private event organiser.
'The split of costs between the venue and the client also varies from event to event.
'The specifics for each event are specified in venue hire contracts between the client and Venues Ōtautahi and on this basis are commercially sensitive,' Harvie-Teare said.