Auckland mayoral candidate John Tamihere backs Eden Park concerts and new sports venue

Friday, 12 April 2019

Auckland mayoral challenger John Tamihere backs concerts being staged at Eden Park and a new covered sports venue adjacent to the stadium.

He made the announcement in his first major policy release, covering parks, open spaces and stadia, at Chamberlain Park on Saturday.

He said rugby league's Warriors would eventually have to shift to Eden Park to avert a costly overhaul of their home at Mt Smart stadium.

John Tamihere and running mate Christine Fletcher at their policy launch at the Chamberlain Park golf course.

Tamihere also pledged to keep the 18-hole public golf course at Chamberlain Park, making it a part of a sprawling 'People's Precinct' of adjoining council-owned green spaces.

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'Sports bodies will have to identify how they fit into the stadia facilities we have, and in some cases cohabit, and co-operate with other sports,' Tamihere said.

Following the launch, he told media that the Warriors were going to have to 'collaborate and cohabit' with rugby.

'The estimate given to [running mate] Christine Fletcher and I by Regional Facilities Auckland is that it's looking at a $350 million cost [for Mt Smart] – the ratepayer doesn't have that.'

Adding concerts to Eden Park would require approval by the Environment Court. The stadium is not owned by the council, which is now supporting the Eden Park Trust Board.

Tamihere also said investigations would take place to explore the development of 'a self-funding covered multisport venue' on Eden Park's number two ground.

Other policy plans included speedway remaining at Western Springs until a new venue was ready.

A new concept, the 'People's Precinct', would reach across council green space from Chamberlain Park, through Western Springs Park and Jagger's Bush, to Meola Reef Reserve on the harbour's edge.

'In the same way that Central Park (in New York) and Hyde Park (in London) are the recreational centres of their cities, so will be our People's Precinct,' Tamihere said.

Tamihere also said he wanted to explore 'more effective use' of the Auckland Domain around the War Memorial Museum.

His policy documents did not price the cost of the proposals and said they would be paid through rates, government contributions and levies currently imposed on new dwellings and developments.