Auckland stadium battle live updates: Eden Park wins after Auckland Council vote
Eden Park has won Auckland’s stadium showdown with councillors backing the local institution to be the city’s fit-for-purpose main stadium.
Councillors voted 17-2 with one abstention (Mike Lee) to endorse in principle a staged redevelopment of Eden Park as the best and most feasible option it had before it.
That saw the rival Quay Park waterfront stadium proposal miss out.
Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner said he was “delighted” at the decision and called the redevelopment of the stadium a “practical, buildable, and future-ready approach”.
Eden Park Trust Board Chair, Kereyn Smith, said the decision was important for Auckland and the future of the country’s national stadium.
“Today’s decision is a pivotal step toward securing the long-term future of Eden Park as New Zealand’s national stadium. The staged approach gives us the certainty to plan, the flexibility to deliver, and the ability to respond to the needs of Aucklanders and New Zealanders alike,” Smith said.
Former Prime Minister and long-time Mt Eden resident Helen Clark slammed the decision as “short-sighted”.“This is not the best long-term option for Auckland. A downtown site, close to hotels, restaurants, and bars at scale, and close to where all main transport routes converge, is best suited for a major future-proofed entertainment venue for Auckland,” she told the Herald.
STORY CONTINUES AFTER THE LIVE BLOG
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Helen Clark reacts to vote
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Former Prime Minister Helen Clark, who has opposed the expansion of concerts at Eden Park, said the move was not the best "best long-term option for Auckland".
"A downtown site, close to hotels, restaurants, and bars at scale, and close to where all main transport routes converge, is best suited for a major future-proofed entertainment venue for Auckland," Clark told the Herald.
"As well, the disclosure of the extent of the perks enjoyed by Councillors at Eden Park has disturbing implications for Council decision-making.”
Hospo boss on Eden Park win
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Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage said the decision provides clarity for the future of Eden Park, "which is an important economic driver for hospitality and accommodation businesses in the region".
“While Councillors announcing a preferred venue is an important step, what matters most is ensuring there’s a consistent pipeline of events to drive demand and create appeal for Auckland and New Zealand,” Armitage said.
“Whether it’s concerts, sports or cultural events, every event has a ripple effect across the city, supporting bars, restaurants, cafés, and accommodation providers."
Decision provides clarity over future of Eden Park - Steve Armitage
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Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage said the decision provides clarity for the future of Eden Park, "which is an important economic driver for hospitality and accommodation businesses in the region".
“While Councillors announcing a preferred venue is an important step, what matters most is ensuring there’s a consistent pipeline of events to drive demand and create appeal for Auckland and New Zealand,” Armitage said.
“Whether it’s concerts, sports or cultural events, every event has a ripple effect across the city, supporting bars, restaurants, cafés, and accommodation providers."
'Delighted': Eden Park CEO reacts to Auckland Council vote
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Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner said he was "delighted" at the decision and called the redevelopment of the stadium a "practical, buildable, and future-ready approach".
"Recognising the Governing Body’s vital role in shaping the next phase, we are committed to working collaboratively to deliver the best outcomes for Auckland and the country,” Sautner said.
“Eden Park 2.1 is a high-value, high-benefit opportunity for Auckland and New Zealand. It makes the most of existing infrastructure, leverages the City Rail Link which opens in 2026, and delivers social, cultural, and economic benefits quickly and at scale.
“Since 2011, Eden Park has contributed more than $1 billion in GDP to the regional economy. Named International Venue of the Year in 2023, Eden Park is a hybrid, multi-purpose stadium that continues to be both a strategic asset for the nation and a community cornerstone for Auckland.
“Globally, there is a growing focus on repurposing and upgrading existing infrastructure. Eden Park is already a highly valuable asset – and with the staged upgrade, we will ensure it remains a highly utilised venue that delivers world-class experiences and continues to create unforgettable moments for future generations.”
Eden Park Trust welcomes support from Auckland Council
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has welcomed today’s decision by Auckland Council’s Governing Body to support the recommendation for a staged approach to delivering Eden Park 2.1 as part of the Main Stadium REOI process.
Eden Park Trust Board Chair, Kereyn Smith said the decision was important for Auckland and the future of the country’s national stadium.
“Today’s decision is a pivotal step toward securing the long-term future of Eden Park as New Zealand’s national stadium. The staged approach gives us the certainty to plan, the flexibility to deliver, and the ability to respond to the needs of Aucklanders and New Zealanders alike,” Smith said.
“Eden Park 2.1 is a smart, staged investment that delivers high-impact returns for both Auckland and the nation. It’s practical, future-focused, and leverages existing infrastructure to achieve lasting outcomes. We look forward to working with both Auckland Council and central government to make this opportunity a reality.”
Councillors vote to endorse in principle staged redevelopment of Eden Park
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Councillors voted 17-2 with one abstention (Mike Lee) to endorse in principle a staged redevelopment of Eden Park as the best and most feasible option for a fit-for-purpose main stadium.
Eden Park gets support from several councillors
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Eden Park is getting support from several councillors, including Cr John Watson, Wayne Walker and Shane Henderson, who chaired the working group looking at options for a main stadium.
Henderson said it is time to put the stadium debate to bed and walk out of the Town Hall with one preferred option and more certainty for Aucklanders.
"Let's get behind it, let's back it."
'What the hell are we doing here': Cr Maurice Williamson questions plans
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Cynicism is creeping into the issue with Crs Chris Darby and Maurice Williamson grilling Max Hardy over a lack of information and the point of the exercise.
Darby said there were a lot of unanswered questions in the council report, such as whether there is a proposal from Eden Park to pay back a loan of $48m to the council.
Williamson said: “What the hell are we doing here... We can’t stop somebody else going ahead and not doing something they want to.”
Max Hardy said the two parties have engaged in the process because they see value in endorsement from the council, and it puts the council in a position for its plans, and have discussions with Eden Park and the Government.
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There appear to be no representatives from Eden Park or the Te Tōangaroa consortium for Quay Park at the public meeting being held in the Auckland Town Hall.
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The meeting is moving to the second report to discuss a new or upgraded "main stadium" - between two proposals from Eden Park and a waterfront stadium at Quay Park.
'A distraction': Councillor says stadium debate not serious
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Speaking as a "decorated veteran of stadium debates", Cr Mike Lee said the use of stadiums are a serious part of Auckland’s culture.
The debate between Eden Park and the phantom waterfront stadium is not serious, “it’s a almost a batty aspect of public life in Auckland and a debate that doesn’t go away and probably never will.”
The debate is a distraction from the serious problems confronting modern Auckland, Lee said.
Decisions have been run by the old boys' club for a long time, councillor says
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Councillor Chris Darby said the growth in content at stadiums is not sport, but artistic performance where the greatest profit is.
He called for bold outcomes, saying decisions have been run by the old boys’ club for a long time, but the performers are young people, not old men.
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Cr Christine Fletcher has cut to the chase, asking: former mayors Len Brown and Phil Goff were unable to get a coherent stadium strategy off the ground, now we’ve got a new mayor. We have spent so much money and time in the council chamber and achieved so little. What is the likelihood, if you were a betting man, of progress?
In reply, Max Hardy said: “That’s an excellent question” to laughter.
“The reality is we are planning to spend $150m in our stadiums over the next 10 years. I’m forever an optimist but I would say what we are doing here is a bit different from what we have done in the past, which is to set out a council-led process with some objectives and work on a plan we are not trying to rush.”
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To a question from Cr Henderson, Max Hardy, strategy director for the council group, said the plan is to invest in a complimentary network of stadiums working together. It’s not an attempt to solve the purpose of all the stadiums in one go, Hardy said.
Councillor hopes a preferred option will be chosen today
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Councillor Shane Henderson, who has chaired the Stadiums Working Group on a new or upgraded 'main stadium', said on social media yesterday: “I expect us to walk out of the Town Hall tomorrow with one preferred option and more certainty for Aucklanders, so we can put this aspect of the stadium debate to bed and just get on with it.”
Auckland Council looking to spend $150 million on its 3 stadiums over the next 10 years
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Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has opened the debate on a report looking at future investment in the city’s four main stadiums, saying the council is looking to spend $150 million over the next 10 years operating and maintaining its three stadiums. - Go Media (Mt Smart), North Harbour and Western Springs.
The funding does not cover the privately-owned Eden Park Stadium.
The options on the table
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Auckland councillors will shortly begin considering two reports on the future of the city’s stadiums.
The first report will look at future investment in the city’s four main stadiums - Eden Park, Go Media (Mt Smart), North Harbour, and Western Springs.
The second report calls for a decision on feasibility studies for a new or upgraded “main stadium’ between Eden Park and a new waterfront stadium at Quay Park.
Auckland's 'Main Stadium' debate to begin shortly
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Nearly two years after Mayor Wayne Brown set out to resolve a “Main Stadium” for the city, the two preferred options – an upgrade of Eden Park and a waterfront stadium at Quay Park – go before councillors today.
STORY CONTINUES
On Tuesday, the Herald reported that the contest to be crowned Auckland’s “main stadium” had concluded, with the two contestants failing to show their glitzy plans are feasible without significant public funding.
Nearly two years after Mayor Wayne Brown set out to resolve a “main stadium” for the city, the two preferred options – an upgrade of Eden Park and a waterfront stadium at Quay Park – go before councillors today.
The debate is likely to begin this afternoon and will be livestreamed at the top of this story.
Eden Park 2.1 involves increasing the stadium’s capacity to 60,000, a retractable roof, a new north stand, upgrades to two other grandstands and a pedestrian promenade to Sandringham Rd.
Te Tōangaroa is more ambitious and includes a 50,000-seat stadium that can be scaled down to 20,000 capacity for smaller events as the centrepiece for the redevelopment of Quay Park. It also proposes up to four hotels, hospitality, and scope for 2000 apartments plus commercial offices.
A report by senior officers has concluded that “neither proponent has demonstrated that their proposal is feasible without significant public funding”.
It said Te Tōangaroa has not demonstrated that its proposals are technically or commercially feasible at this stage and wants more time to do so.
Over the next 12 months, the consortium behind the plan at Quay Park intends to progress with land acquisition.
Eden Park 2.1 is technically feasible, but not financially feasible as it relies on significant public funding, according to the report.
Officers said Eden Park could be progressed in stages, and there may be merit in Government support in the early stages.
The Eden Park Trust is seeking $110 million from the Government for the first stage to redevelop the Lower North Stand, the report said.
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.
The report said there are no plans for Auckland Council to provide funding towards a major stadium upgrade or new stadium.
One option for councillors is to stick with the status quo, leaving privately owned Eden Park as the city’s largest stadium, and the council managing Go Media (Mt Smart), North Harbour and Western Springs.
Separately from the “Main Stadium” project, the council is considering three rival bids to develop stadium facilities at Western Springs.
The council has been trying to put the city’s stadiums on “a more sustainable financial footing” since June 2012, but numerous attempts have largely failed.
The situation in 2025 is no different to 2012 with the council owning and operating Go Media (Mt Smart), North Harbour and Western Springs, and the privately-owned Eden Park pushing its own boat.
The only change has been a recent effort to find a new operator for Western Springs with speedway finishing up last weekend after 96 years.
Ponsonby Rugby Club has been told its lease will not be extended beyond 2027, and three parties are in the running to take over the central city location.
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