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RNZ News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Public to be consulted over Auckland's Western Springs Stadium plans
Auckland councillors have voted 14-7 to consult the public on two proposals for the future use of Western Springs Stadium. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi After a fiery debate today, which saw Mayor Wayne Brown briefly walk out, Auckland councillors have voted 14-7 to consult the public on two proposals for the future use of Western Springs Stadium. There is also a third option: the council can choose to do nothing or explore other ideas for the stadium, including extending Ponsonby Rugby Club's lease, which expires in 2027. Until now, the stadium had been primarily used for rugby union matches and speedway racing. Last year, the council made the controversial decision to move speedway to Onehunga's Waikaraka Park after 100 years at Western Springs. The council's economic and cultural agency, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, said its preference was for the venue to become a permanent home for Auckland Football Club, which would be called Auckland Stadium. Auckland FC owners, including billionaire Anna Mowbray and her former All Black husband Ali Williams, have proposed investing $300 million into re-developing the stadium into a 12,500-seat sports and entertainment precinct with a capacity of 25,000 for concerts. Auckland FC games are currently held at Go Media Stadium in Penrose. A competing proposal from CRS Records and Eccles Entertainment; the Western Springs Bowl, would see the venue be a 5000-8000-seat boutique stadium and be able to host up to 50,000 people for festivals. Under this proposal, Western Springs would remain home for Ponsonby Rugby Club and other clubs that currently use it. It would be funded by a mix of private and ratepayer funding. Councillors Mike Lee, Greg Sayers, Sharon Stewart, Ken Turner, Wayne Walker, John Watson, and Maurice Williamson voted not to support the options going out for public consultation. Several councillors questioned why continuing speedway at the stadium would not be presented to the public as an option. Tātaki has said the public could suggest other options for the stadium through its consultation process, but speedway was not recommended, with work at Waikaraka already underway. Public consultation on the proposals was expected to run from 19 May to 15 June 2025 and a final decision from council is set to be made in July. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
01-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Aucklanders to weigh in on Western Springs stadium proposals
The decision to go to public consultation lasted four hours, turning ugly at times over the role of speedway in the mix, and leading to Mayor Wayne Brown adjourning the meeting at one stage for councillors to cool down. At one point, Brown joked: 'We have heard from you guys for seven hours, I just want to hear from the public.' Billionaire Anna Mowbray and husband Ali Williams are part of a consortium with Texan billionaire and Auckland FC backer Bill Foley that is behind the 'Auckland Arena' – incorporating a new 12,500-seat stadium, community sports facilities, a high-performance centre, and hospitality. The Auckland Arena team has released a video of its proposal, featuring a campaign to generate public support. Ali Williams said: 'Western Springs is just crying out for it to happen.' Sir Bryan Williams has spent much of his life at Ponsonby Rugby Club, which has teamed up with two music promoters to build a Hollywood Bowl-style live concert and festival venue, a 5000-seat boutique stadium, and a multi-sport community hub. The backers of the 'Western Springs Bowl' have said they did not wish to comment beyond what Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) has released until the process is concluded, but Bryan Williams told the Herald last year: 'There is no alternative to fit our needs like Western Springs.' There are no firm plans to relocate Ponsonby Rugby Club when its lease expires in 2027 but the council body that oversees stadiums, TAU, is looking at Coxs Bay and Victoria Park. The mayor and councillors are keeping an open mind until public consultation closes next month and the feedback is assessed, but the TAU board has already evaluated the two options and backs the Auckland Arena with a new 12,500-seat sports stadium as its preferred option. TAU chief executive Nick Hill today said the Auckland Arena is the best option, saying it is the best proposal for ratepayers financially and includes investment into football and basketball, which are Auckland's fastest-growing sports and are struggling for infrastructure. For the second time, Brown today declined a request from representatives of the speedway community to address the governing body. He refused a similar request last October when councillors voted to move speedway from Western Springs to Waikaraka Park in Onehunga. Said councillor John Watson: 'These people were cut out in their entirety and denied speaking rights twice.' Brown also declined a request today for Ali Williams to address the meeting. Public consultation is due to run from May 19 to June 15.
NZ Herald
29-04-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Public consultation on the cards for Western Springs stadium plans
The TAU board has already evaluated the two plans and said the Auckland Arena with a new 12,500-seat sports stadium is its preferred option. A report and attachments of nearly 300 pages for councillors contain new details of the two plans, which have been presented to councillors behind closed doors and limited details shared with the public. Proposals 12,500-seat sports stadium 25,000-capacity concert venue 8 indoor basketball courts 6 padel courts 4 outdoor training fields 5 hospitality establishments High-performance facilities Cost: $200 million-$300m privately funded Western Springs Bowl Backers: Ponsonby Rugby Club, CRS Records, Eccles Entertainment Multi-sport hub for Ponsonby Rugby Club and other clubs 50,000-seat concert venue with permanent stage Boutique 5000-seat stadium Cost: $30m, including ratepayer funding of $18m-$20m Despite TAU saying it did not want proposals that rely on ratepayer funding, the Western Springs Bowl requires ratepayer funding of $18m to $20m, and the Auckland Arena proposal would involve ratepayers forking out $13m to move or upgrade Stadium Rd, which runs into Western Springs. The Auckland Arena will have up to 500 car parks for the public to access the gym/health centre, courts and hospitality between 5am and 10pm daily. The park and ride station at Constellation Drive on the North Shore has 370 car parks. In the report to the governing body, officers outline the benefits and downsides of the two proposals. It said the Auckland Arena would likely lead to a huge increase in the use of Western Springs, private investors would bring a strong history of running similar venues, and fund the ongoing running and maintenance costs. Other benefits include addressing shortages for indoor sports and a gap in high-performance facilities for football. The downsides include the potential impact on other stadiums, and the development of the outer fields displacing music venues, which could move to Go Media (Mt Smart) Stadium. The Western Springs Bowl would improve the venue for concerts and festivals, and attract more international acts; the 5000-seat stadium meets a need within the city's stadium network, particularly for rugby, said the report. The downsides would likely mean ongoing running costs for the council, particularly for Ponsonby Rugby Club; and fewer visitors than the Auckland Arena. Large events would also require new investment in public transport. The Auckland Arena team has released a video of its proposal, featuring a campaign to generate public support. All Black Ali Williams said: 'Western Springs is just crying out for it to happen.' The backers of the Western Springs Bowl have said they did not wish to comment beyond what TAU has released until the process is concluded. The report touches on a judicial review brought by the Western Springs Speedway Association (WSSA) over the lawfulness of the council decision last October to move the motorsport to Waikaraka Park in Onehunga. Officers said 'litigation gives rise to uncertainty in the decision-making process and may have financial and reputational implications' for the council and TAU. WSSA spokesman Jason Jones said the judicial review aimed to overturn the council's decision, go back to square one, and hold a fair process. Public consultation on the three options will run from May 19 to June 15.
