Auckland Council backs 30,000-capacity ‘bowl’ for Western Springs

Tuesday, 31 March 2026

James Parkinson, Head of Auckland Stadiums, discusses with Stuff plans for Western Springs Stadium moving forward.

Auckland Council has endorsed a proposal to develop Western Springs Stadium for concerts, festivals and sport.

On Tuesday, the council’s Governing Body voted 15 to 6 to develop the 97-year-old venue and turn it into a boutique bowl-like stadium.

The decision included an investment of up to $2.5 million by venue owner Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) to enhance the venue for concerts and festivals, alongside continued community use and a lease extension to Ponsonby Rugby Club.

TAU will install semi-permanent staging and target festivals and concerts for up to 30,000 people at general-admission events, as well as an upgraded broadcast-quality sports configuration for events with up to 5000 fans.

Auckland Council said the model aimed to improve the venue's use and address a gap in the region’s stadium network for mid-sized events.

Western Springs Stadium is set to be developed.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said the proposal “makes the most” of what he called a key asset for the city.

“This is a practical and affordable way to keep the event-related benefits of the original proposal and retain Ponsonby Rugby Club.”

TAU would continue to own and operate the stadium. Its chief executive, Nick Hill, was pleased with the council's decision.

“We are pleased to have reached a positive conclusion to this expression of interest process and are confident that the new Western Springs Bowl concept will make a huge impact culturally and economically for Auckland,” Hill said.

A permanent stage will be built at the venue as part of the proposal.

The future use of Western Springs Stadium has been a hot-button topic, with multiple interest groups vying to stamp their mark on it.

In July last year, the backers of a bid to build a new football stadium at the venue pulled the pin due to what they called “unique challenges”.

Investors attached to football club Auckland FC, including Anna Mowbray and former All Black Ali Williams, had planned to build a new 12,500-seat stadium at the venue.

In a statement to Stuff at the time, the investors behind the bid said the move to pull out was not due to a “lack of capability or commitment”, calling it a “difficult decision”.

Auckland Council endorsed the proposal for a new bowl at the venue.

“However, despite our deep commitment and experience, the process of delivering such a project on public land in Auckland has presented unique challenges,” they said.

A group called Western Springs Speedway Association (WSSA) has also been fighting to keep the speedway at the stadium, in a battle that has led to legal action.

The stadium hosted speedway for decades.

Speedway finished up at the stadium in March 2025 and has since moved to an upgraded Waikaraka Park in Onehunga.

Members of the speedway community have been lobbying hard for its return, though, including WSSA, which submitted its own proposal to manage the stadium ahead of consultation.

According to The Post, under the proposal, an undisclosed investor was to spend $12m on a “multi-purpose” facility to host speedway and music events.

However, they missed an “expressions of interest” deadline by nine months, and the proposal was rejected by staff “on the basis of probity”.

The council’s refusal to consider the offer will be the subject of a judicial review in the High Court, to be heard in July.

Auckland Council said it would continue to work with speedway stakeholders to improve the operation of speedway at Waikaraka Park to “realise the aspiration” of what it called a “sustainable, high-quality” motorsport venue for Auckland.