New Auckland stadium pricier than Eden Park rebuild, but favoured option

Saturday, 19 May 2018

Artist's impression of the waterfront stadium that was considered more than 10 years ago.

Auckland could have a new 'world-class' stadium in seven years if a private company was willing to step in, says Mayor Phil Goff.

A recent PwC report commissioned by Auckland Council looked into the possibility of building a new stadium in the city centre versus rebuilding at Eden Park.

The report found that it would cost up to $1.5 billion to build a new stadium in the city and $800 million to bring Eden Park up to international standards, Goff said.

He had been approached by a private sector consortium, which would speed up the process.

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If a private company was willing to build, own and manage the stadium, it could happen in seven years, he said.

Goff said it was important to start planning early to ensure if a new stadium was built it was done right.

'It's important for us to have a world-class facility,' he said.

The new stadium would need to be rectangular in shape with a roof and hold up to 65,000 people.

It would be used for sporting events as well as concerts, Goff said.

Issues that came with rebuilding on Eden Park included its Unitary Plan restrictions, meaning there could be only 25 evening events a year, he said.

Mayor Phil Goff says Auckland needs a world-class stadium.

'We don't want to spend $800m there unless we are confident that that is the right place to put it.'

Building a new stadium in the city centre was the favoured choice, although it was the most expensive, as it was close to all things expected in the visitor experience.

A new stadium was considered in 2008 with the 2011 Rugby World Cup coming up, but not enough time was given to plan for one, Goff said.

The report had found about six possible sites, although the locations were confidential, he said.

Prior to the report, Goff had indicated that a site on the railway lines by Britomart and Spark Arena was his preferred location.

'There are a number of sites there that would be large enough to have a stadium on them, but each of those sites have advantages and disadvantages,' he said.

But funding the stadium was the biggest issue.

'I've made it pretty clear that the key priorities for expenditure in the immediate future for Auckland are relieving traffic congestion, creating infrastructure to build more houses and cleaning up our beaches and our waterways,' Goff said.

'If you ask the question 'do you have $1.5b to put into a stadium right now' the answer is bluntly no.'

Central government was expected to help fund a new stadium if another international event was to be held in Auckland.

'Those events are most likely to be possibilities in the 2030s.'

Public input would be needed for either option, he said.

Goff said the next step was to decide which option was the best one, and then enter into serious negotiations with stakeholders around funding the stadium.