Western Springs speedway shutdown confirmed after lease is not extended past March

Tuesday, 5 March 2019

March 16 will be curtains for speedway at Western Springs - RFA will not extend Spring's Promotions' lease beyond this month.

After 90 years at its spiritual home, speedway will not return to Auckland's Western Springs following its last meet of the season on March 16.

Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA) has told Stuff it will not be renewing Springs Promotions Ltd's lease at Western Springs Stadium beyond this month.

The decision leaves the sport's future in Auckland up in the air as speedway will effectively be without a home come March 31, with councillors yet to consider a proposed move to Colin Dale Park in Wiri.

On Tuesday afternoon, Auckland Stadiums Venue Development Strategy director Paul Nisbet confirmed RFA's decision.

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'The Western Springs Stadium Venue Hire Agreement that Springs Promotions Ltd (SPL) has with RFA expires on 31 March 2019 and RFA will not be providing any extension for speedway events at the venue, post this date,' he said.

Springs Promotions Ltd boss Greg Mosen declined to comment when contacted by Stuff.

An Auckland Council spokesman said the speedway's future would be considered by the Finance and Performance Committee in April.

Even if a move to Colin Dale Park was approved by councillors, the necessary speedway facilities at the ground are yet to be built.

In November, Auckland Council voted to delay a decision on speedway's controversial move from Western Springs – stymieing a plan to turn the raceway into an international cricket venue – until a wider discussion on stadia took place.

Auckland Council's spokesman said councillors discussed during November's meeting that they would only approve speedway's move to Colin Dale Park 'if there was complete transparency'.

'This included the provision of an expressions of interest process to ensure all promoters were given the opportunity to run speedway events in Auckland,' the spokesman said.

'Proceeding with this expressions of interest process will be discussed by councillors at the meeting in April.

'Until the results of that meeting, we can't comment further.'

A decision in favour of the speedway move appeared a near certainty last June, when Auckland Council and SPL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which expired in November, to move speedway to Colin Dale.

The original deal outlined in the MOU was that the council would make an $11.5 million contribution to a new facility at Colin Dale Park, which would be leased for up to 30 years to private promoter Springs Promotions.

At the November meeting, officers for Auckland Council said the MOU was for a 'basic design' and the cost of that would be $11.7m.

But there would be other, more expensive designs, including a functional design of $20m and a 'complete' design of $30m.

Meanwhile, the wider discussions on Auckland's stadiums would include a council vote on whether to endorse a refreshed Venue Development Strategy (VDS).

Councillors were due to consider the document on February 20, but that date has been and gone.

'Responding to feedback from committee members at a planning committee workshop and responses from Eden Park Trust at a second confidential workshop meeting, I have asked the council chief executive to write to key stadia stakeholders to seek their formal response to the VDS,' planning committee chairman Chris Darby told Stuff on Monday.

'I have taken this course due to sometimes contradictory or unclear positions being conveyed by some parties.

'Their formal feedback will inform next steps.'

On Monday, Stuff revealed a confidential presentation to councillors had highlighted financial and maintenance issues with the region's stadium stock.

The presentation covered Auckland's four major outdoor grounds – Eden Park, QBE Stadium, Western Springs and Mt Smart Stadium.

It outlined a number financial and reputational risks to Auckland Council and RFA if changes were not made to the region's stadium network.