Dream on: Downtown stadium and other Auckland mirages

Monday, 15 October 2018

It's just a computer graphic - an Auckland waterfront stadium is a mirage

OPINION: There are enough things in life really worth worrying about. Will my washing get rained on, am I going to get stuck in traffic?

History in Auckland tells us there's enough probability to categorise these as legitimate risks.

Let's look on the bright side. History also tells us that things we hear about regularly, aren't worth dwelling on because they are unlikely to happen.

A downtown stadium is one.

* Final rallying cry for a faster heavy rail alternative

* Eden Park: Stadium of the future or housing site?**

Maybe this week, the latest iteration of this idea will be fleshed out. A group of business interests proposes funding a new stadium at no public cost.

Large objects in the way, seem immovable.

The Bledisloe Wharf site is a busy part of Auckland's port.

Ports of Auckland needs both the wharf space, and the berthing capacity.

The pre-feasibility study on a downtown stadium, unilaterally commissioned by mayor Phil Goff for $935,000, found the economics of stadia mean public contributions are a given.

There's talk the 'free' stadium could be funded by developing Eden Park into housing.

So now two large and expensive pieces of real estate are in this 'free' plan, one a commercial port owned by the ratepayers, the other a privately-owned stadium refurbished by taxpayers to the tune of $190 million less than a decade ago.

Goff keeps the multi-billion dollar downtown stadium mirage alive. He insists it's not a priority and there's no council money, but repeatedly talks in a way encouraging proposals like the new one.

Tellingly, Goff has chosen not to meet the promoter, but dispatched his staff.

A waterfront stadium might be possible if the other political mirage was a likelihood.

But I'd say, moving the port just won't happen.

Goff campaigned on the notion in 2016, and the Government has taken over the issue, promising a study on the future on the upper North Island's major ports.

That study is more likely to lead us to the future. Some ports might get bigger, some not. There might be new rail links and inland terminals.

However, closing one of the country's biggest ports, in its biggest centre, and building afresh in a pristine environment - don't put that on the worry list.

If you're worried about how soon Light Rail lines might be running, I'd suggest halving that burden.

Years of work have already gone into a line running from the CBD to Mt Roskill, and then through Mangere to Auckland Airport.

You can count on that starting in the next few years or so.

The other line on the list, out to Kumeu in the northwest. I'd advise not losing sleep over - at least the bit to Kumeu.

In terms of preparation and design it's years behind the Mt Roskill line.

The major rebuild of the northwestern motorway to Westgate is likely to finish behind schedule next year, and then there's a long overdue look at trying to connect up the existing pieces of shoulder bus lane.

Once all that's done, work might get serious on Light Rail along that route to Westgate.

But a line from there to Kumeu? Worry about rain on the washing instead.