Auckland mayoral race: Cool on revived waterfront stadium

Monday, 23 September 2019

The Auckland Waterfront Consortium has launched an ambitious proposal that would see a 50,000-seat fully enclosed stadium built alongside a redeveloped Bledisloe Wharf.

Auckland's leading mayoral contenders remain cool on the immediate prospects of a waterfront stadium following an election campaign re-launch of the idea.

The private-sector backers of the bold $1.8 billion plan have re-branded the sunken stadium 'The Crater', and urged voters in the local body election to get backing from candidates.

Mayor Phil Goff and his main challenger John Tamihere both see no change in the stalled push by the promoters, who would build it in return for being given the site of Eden Park stadium, and a chunk of waterfront land.

A new waterfront stadium has been proposed by the private sector for Auckland.

'The ball is still in the court of the private sector,' Goff told Stuff.

**READ MORE:

Phil Goff and John Tamihere at the EMA Heart of the City Auckland mayoral debate 23092019

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The waterfront stadium is being proposed by Auckland Waterfront Consortium.

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* There's no such thing as a free stadium, however iconic its design**

'I think it's a wonderful idea, but ahead of its time,' said Tamihere, after a mayoral debate hosted by the Employers and Manufacturers Association and downtown promotion agency Heart of the City.

The Auckland Waterfront Consortium wants the council to commit to a feasibility study of the idea, which they launched in October 2018.

'We are ready, willing and able to make valuable contributions to this study,' it said in a statement, with a full-page newspaper advertisement reviving the debate.

Goff has knocked that hope on the head.

'They were going to do their $4-5 million study, they did ask the council for that money and I said 'No, you assured us you would be doing that out of private money, not ratepayers' money',' said Goff.

'I'm waiting to see the outcome of that,' he said.

Tamihere said if he became mayor, the idea wouldn't be looked at in the first term.

'I won't know until the reset and refashion of the (council) balance sheet after the first three years, and then you can have a very good grown-up debate depending on whether central government is chiming in as well,' said the mayoral challenger.

The consortium said it had already put $2m into the plan, and had overseas backers interested.

'Costs have inevitably increased however the project remains feasible with still no financial contributions required from ratepayers,' it said.

Tamihere has already committed to strengthening the financial future of the Eden Park stadium, making it more of a multi-purpose venue.

Goff is pushing the idea of intensifying port operations on Bledisloe Wharf where part of the stadium would sit, suggesting it could become a cruise ship terminal and free-up the early release of Captain Cook Wharf for public space.

The long-term future of Auckland's port land is also clouded by a Government study due to be released within weeks, looking at the feasibility of re-arranging the upper North Island ports, and possibly moving all or some of Auckland's trade to Northport at Marsden Point.

Goff told Monday's mayoral debate he thought the city's container terminal might remain on the Waitematā harbour for another 30 years.

Tamihere said he wanted Auckland to decide the future of the council-owned port, 'not some mugs in Wellington.'

The challenger told the business audience that voters needed to fill-out and return ballot papers which began arriving in Auckland homes on Friday.

'You don't get change unless you make change,' he said.

The local body election postal voting period ends on October 12.