Revived proposal for Auckland waterfront stadium set for release

The consortium behind plans to build a 50,000-seat stadium on Auckland’s waterfront, last advanced in 2018, are, according to media reports, poised to release a new proposal.

The revival of the proposal from the Auckland Waterfront Consortium (AWC), which revealed its proposal for a $1.8 billion harbourside venue five years ago, looks set to revive the city’s longstanding ‘stadium wars’.

Prompted by the Eden Park Trust revealing its uncosted Eden Park 2.0 concept last week, the New Zealand Herald has advised that an updated waterfront stadium proposal will be released in the coming weeks.

The city, which also has the North Harbour Stadium, Mt Smart Stadium and Western Springs, has been the scene of considerable rivalry in past decades as each venue (owned by different entities) battled for funds - a situation which the introduction of the unitary Auckland Council in 2010 has reduced.

The Herald reports that the “AWC proposes a modern, fully enclosed, multi-purpose entertainment, sports and events arena, seating up to 70,000 people on the Auckland waterfront at zero public cost” which it says would cost much less than what would need to be spent on upgrading Eden Park.

Back in 2018, the AWC’s vision was for a fully enclosed stadium to have been built alongside a redeveloped Bledisloe Wharf, with the consortium having promised that the project would cost nothing for ratepayers and taxpayers.

The project included the development of the multi-purpose stadium - previously dubbed The Crater - along with the redevelopment of the wharf as a mixed-use Bledisloe Quarter and the redevelopment of Eden Park for residential use.

The development would have been entirely funded by the development of commercial and residential precincts on the current Bledisloe Wharf and Eden Park sites, and by avoiding future maintenance costs at Mt Smart Stadium.

Acknowledging that the new proposals will generate new debate about stadia in Auckland, AWC spokesperson Dave Wigmore said his group welcomed public debate over the future of the city’s venues.

Explaining that vision is about far more than just building a stadium, Wigmore noted “the AWC proposal will create a revitalised world-class city extending from Wynyard Quarter to the new ‘Bledisloe Quarter’ and an example of sustainable urban development.”

Plans for a stadium on the Auckland waterfront were first proposed in 2006 as a venue for the 2011 Rugby World Cup final. While backed by the then Auckland City Council, it was opposed by the Auckland Regional Council and the Eden Park Trust.

Under current arrangements, the NRL’s Warriors play at Mt Smart Stadium, major rugby games move between Eden Park and North Harbour Stadium and short-form cricket games are at Eden Park.

Western Springs Stadium hosts speedway events and some concerts.

Images: The 2018 concept of the proposed Auckland Waterfront Stadium (top, credit: Peddle Thorp/Incredible Images) and the Eden Park 2.0 concept's propsed new entry to the historic venue (below).