Attendance dip but surplus sustained at Wellington Stadium
Fewer people attended events at Wellington's Westpac Stadium in the past year, contributing to a slight dip in profits for the city's 'Cake Tin' icon.
The stadium recorded a net surplus of $3.47 million, compared with last year's record of $3.62 million, according to Westpac Stadium's annual report.
The increasing popularity of the Phoenix Football Club bolstered overall crowd numbers as rugby crowds continue to decline, the report says, while the Sevens, All Blacks and Bon Jovi drew the biggest crowds during the year.
Nearly 23,000 fans turned out to see Bon Jovi in December, which was the only concert held at the stadium.
Sound restrictions mean only six concerts or events with noise reaching the 75-decibel limit can be held each year.
The only event to have a capacity crowd of 34,500 was the All Blacks verse South Africa test in July 2010 followed closely by the Sevens in February, when 64,697 people swarmed into the stadium during the two-day tournament.
The 56 events held at the stadium between July 2010 and June 2011 were attended by 447,211 people, compared to the previous year which saw 579,095 people attend 50 events.
These figures do not include Rugby World Cup games.
Having been removed to meet the International Rugby Board's requirements to have a "clean stadium" for the World Cup, the stadium's naming rights signage have returned in recent days.
The stadium's profits will go towards paying off debt.
Car parking revenue at the venue exceeded $1 million for the first time.
A $2.9 million bill for major improvements included new carpet throughout the stadium, CCTV upgrades, new speakers for the sounds system in the bowl and the conversion of the replay screen production equipment to a digital system.
The cost of replacing the exterior cladding on the 10-year-old stadium and fixing of leaks above the seating and in the corporate box earlier this year was not revealed. However, builders Fletcher Construction and the Westpac Stadium Trust agreed to share the cost of the repair work.
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