Auckland Council rejects Eden Park Trust's application for new grant funding

Auckland Council has this week rejected a bid by the Eden Park Trust for funding of $6.3 million a year in grants for the next decade.

The Trust made a late bid for the grant after the Council's 2022/23 budget had been set, saying Auckland cannot risk looking like a city with failing assets when the stadium hosts nine games at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.

The bid for $6.2 million from ratepayers comes three years after the Council took over the Eden Park Trust's $53m bank and existing council debt while also donating a further $9.8 million for maintenance and upgrades.

A report by consultants EY estimated Eden Park would need to spend $62.8 million over 10 years on capital maintenance and refurbishment

Eden Park Chief Executive Nick Sautner submitted to the Council that the existence of the venue "results in significant costs savings" to the Council as it did not have to fund another stadium. He argued that having the 50,000-capacity stadium also meant the city did not incur high carbon emissions in constructing a large stadium.

However, a full Council meeting on Thursday turned down the grant request, instead resolving that the Trust could increase the amount borrowed from the Council up to its total limit.

At present there is $5 million still available under that facility.

One operator for Auckland's major facilities
A report for Councillors also advised that negotiations that started in 2019 for Tataki Auckland Unlimited, the Trust and the Council to agree one stadium operator for all Auckland's major facilities had made progress but not concluded.

The recommendation by Council staff was for the loan to be interest-free to the Trust, saving it around $125,000 in interest payments. The arrangement would be only until mid 2023, with an expectation the negotiations for one stadium operator would be concluded by then.

New changing rooms set 'benchmark' for women in sport
Female international athletes in rugby, cricket and football can now use gender-neutral changing facilities at Eden Park after significant upgrades to the south stand and west stand changing rooms.

Speaking earlier this month, Sautner said the installation of the toilets and changing rooms at the venue was a significant step torward gender equality for female athletes and officials.

Sautner advised “we are delighted that they will be enjoyed by both current and future wāhine in sport.”

Described as a “benchmark” for the rest of the country, female players and officials now have access to individual showers, privacy screens, cubicle toilets, baby change tables, sanitary bins and accessible bathrooms.

The upgrade was part of the Accessible Facilities Project, the result of a funding boost of $15.4 million from Sport NZ as part of the wider Sport Recovery Package.

The project focused on facilities that would be used for the three women’s world cups held in New Zealand - these include the recent Cricket World Cup, the 2021 Rugby World Cup, to be played in October 2022, and the 2023 Football World Cup.

Through the project, best practice guidelines has been developed which will be shared with clubs and sports organisations around New Zealand to encourage further improvements.

In all, $7.4 million of the funding package will directly benefit grassroots players with some clubs becoming training grounds for the 12 Rugby World Cup teams.

Grassroot venues that will benefit are Bruce Pulman Park, Bell Park, Ōrākei Domain, Gribblehirst Park, Hora Hora Rugby Union Football Club, Shore Road Reserve, Colin Maiden Park and Northland Rugby’s new facility at Pohe Island.

Image credit Nick Sautner.