Backers of $1.8 billion Auckland stadium proposal 'confident' project can succeed

Tuesday, 6 November 2018

The waterfront stadium is being proposed by Auckland Waterfront Consortium.

The consortium behind a new $1.8 billion stadium on Auckland's Bledisloe Wharf has asked for council backing to see if the project is feasible.

Auckland Waterfront Consortium, which includes law firm Simpson Grierson and multinational Ernst and Young, presented its proposal for a partially submerged stadium to Auckland Council's Planning Committee on Tuesday.

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.

Simpson Grierson partner Michael Sage said the consortium was asking Auckland Council, along with the Government, to enter into a feasibility study to see if the proposal is achievable.

He was 'confident' feasibility work would confirm the proposal would work.

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The council stopped short of entering into an agreement to test the feasibility of the proposal, instead it simply acknowledged the consortium's presentation.

An artist's impression of the Bledisloe Wharf stadium.

The 50,000-seat covered stadium would be built by a yet to be determined developer in return for the rights to build 2500 dwellings and commercial buildings nearby, as well as the right to re-develop the current Eden Park site in Kingsland.

Sage reiterated the consortium's stance that the stadium would be built at zero cost to ratepayers and taxpayers.

The stadium proposal would require a 12 to 18-month 'facilitation phase' to test it against other options for Bledisloe Wharf, which is currently used by Ports of Auckland.

'The time to start the facilitation phase is now, ideally this year,' Sage said.

'If we delay this the window of opportunity that's currently open to solve Auckland's waterfront stadium issues in an optimal zero cost way will shut.

'If it does we'll end up with an ugly eyesore on the waterfront for generations to come.'

If the facilitation phase found the proposal was viable, a developer would be selected.

'The preferred developer would be required to immediately repay the cost of facilitation and the developer selection phases,' Sage said.

The city would also face the 'embarrassment' of being unable to host major sporting and entertainment events if the waterfront stadium was not approved.

'In later years if Aucklanders then decide these are outcomes they can't live with, they will have to pay to overcome the very problems that could've been avoided by adopting a carefully considered, low-risk, zero cost [stadium] back in 2018,' Sage said.

Michael Sage of Simpson Grierson and Dave Wigmore, chair of the consortium proposing a waterfront stadium.

'History will not judge us kindly.'

Currently, Bledisloe Wharf is a roll on, roll off terminal for Ports of Auckland, handling everything from cars and trains to wind turbines and tunnel boring machinery.

'This [stadium] can and has to be achieved in a way that doesn't damage Ports of Auckland's long term viability and our proposal envisages a raft of commercial benefits for Ports of Auckland,' Sage said.

'There has to be a viable solution to moving cars off the wharf. This isn't going to require rocket science and we believe Aucklanders simply won't tolerate the waterfront being used as a carpark any longer than is necessary.'

Nearly half of the stadium would be built on the seabed next to the wharf, in order to leave enough space for a Wynyard Quarter-style property development with apartments and commercial buildings needed to help fund the project.

The consortium would not reveal the area of seabed needed, but said a larger area of seabed would be cleared when other wharves were removed.

It would be partially built into the seabed to lower the above-ground height.

The apartments adjacent to it could house 6000 people, with a similar number working in commercial buildings.

The proposal has been worked up over the past 18 months and would involve dramatic changes to the city waterfront and the way Ports of Auckland operates.

Around 14ha of port land would be contributed, along with the demolition of Captain Cook Wharf.

A 2017 report by consultants NZIER found the loss of the vehicle import trade, which is based at Bledisloe and Captain Cook wharves, could cost 10,000 Auckland jobs.

The report, commissioned by Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the loss would cut the value of Ports of Auckland by $170 million, and reduce annual revenue by $15 million.