# NEW ZEALAND - Stadium and Arena Development News



## poguemahone (Apr 4, 2012)

New Stadium Proposed for A-League side Wellington Phoenix

Good News, they are averaging 8,843 (lowest in the league) this season playing out of the 34,500 seat Westpac Stadium which is oval shaped.



> Phoenix investigate new arena
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Stadiumbadass (Sep 25, 2012)

The Hurricanes rugby franchise and Wellington union and maybe even the NZRU should contemplate moving to it in a few years.


----------



## Guest (Feb 19, 2014)

Wouldnt it make sense for soccer/rugby to team up to get a 10-15,000 seater built from the outset?


----------



## RMB2007 (Apr 1, 2007)

> RFU tells New Zealand to 'build a bigger stadium' if it wants more money
> 
> England are refusing to make big financial concessions to their cash-strapped southern hemisphere rivals and will oppose the idea of sharing the vast revenues generated by autumn Twickenham internationals. Instead Ian Ritchie, the Rugby Football Union’s chief executive, has advised New Zealand and Australia to “go and build a bigger stadium” if they wish to boost their profits.
> 
> ...


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/27/england-twickenham-cash-australia-new-zealand


----------



## Rob73 (Jun 18, 2014)

Unfortunately the good wise idiots in Auckland decided to throw hundreds of millions into the piece of crap stadium that we call Eden Park when the govt of the day was willing to throw in funding to build Auckland (and by extension NZ) a stadium we could all be proud of on Aucklands waterfront. One of the stupidest decisions made in the build up to that event, now we are stuck with Eden Park which should be bulldozed for high density housing.


----------



## Walbanger (Jan 10, 2006)

RMB2007 said:


> https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/27/england-twickenham-cash-australia-new-zealand



Not sure why Australia is being dragged into this, Stadium capacity restraints are hardly the problem of the Wallabies. They can't even sell out ANZ Stadium anymore.


----------



## mrErythroxylum (Mar 9, 2010)

^^
Yeah Australia (East Coast) does not have stadium size issues at all, infact Sydney will soon even reduce their main stadium from 83,000 to 75,000 when it goes through its reconstruction in 2019, and no one is complaining about the reduction in seating as the stadium when complete will be one of the best in the world. 
Currently (and in near future) Sydney will have;
-ANZ stadium 83,000 (to be 75,000)
-Allianz stadium 44,000 (will either remain or be increased to 50/55,000)
-brand new parramatta stadium, 32,000 an complete in 2019.
Newcastle 
- 33,000 seat stadium that has one last upgrade stage needed to be 40/44,000
Brisbane has 
-Suncorp stadium, 54,000
North Queensland 
-brand new 30,000 stadium construction to start soon
Melbourne has
-their new 30,000 stadium.
These are just the rectangular stadiums, melbourne can make use of their 55,000 docklands stadium and their 100,000 seat mcg.
England does not have a stadium that size in their arsenal. 

I just think the English RU do not understand and are nieve on just how small rugby is in Australia, even in the rugby codes states of nsw and qld rugby union is a minow sport that clings on in just a few upper middle class suburbs in Sydney and Brisbane


----------



## CharlieP (Sep 12, 2002)

mrErythroxylum said:


> I just think the English RU do not understand and are nieve on just how small rugby is in Australia, even in the rugby codes states of nsw and qld rugby union is a minow sport that clings on in just a few upper middle class suburbs in Sydney and Brisbane


I'm not sure how Australia have been dragged into this - the issue is with New Zealand, who for years have been banging the drum of "we're the best team the world has ever seen and people prostrate themselves at our feet wherever we go, therefore *you* should be paying *us* for agreeing to do you the honour of coming to play a lowly team like you". At least, that's how it comes across. :lol:


----------



## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

Perhaps Australia should try harder and become better at Rugby no?
Its an international game played by big boys - tough nations.
This NRL nonsense it naff.
Probably a reason why NZ mostly doesn't touch it, and South Africa's never heard of it! ;P


----------



## Calvin W (Nov 5, 2005)

Marsupalami said:


> Perhaps Australia should try harder and become better at Rugby no?
> Its an international game played by big boys - tough nations.
> This NRL nonsense it naff.
> Probably a reason why NZ mostly doesn't touch it, and South Africa's never heard of it! ;P


NRL is the future of rugby in Australia. Home grown version, that excites the fans.


----------



## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

nah - Union all the way man.
Just like Test cricket vs T20 debate.


----------



## KingmanIII (Aug 25, 2008)

Playing: Union
Watching: League/Sevens


----------



## Rob73 (Jun 18, 2014)

Calvin W said:


> NRL is the future of rugby in Australia. Home grown version, that excites the fans.


Since when was NRL homegrown, it came from Northern England. It's been dying internationally for years, the NRL is pretty shit compared to Super Rugby, if Australia stoped pissing around with it you'd be much better at Rugby Union. 

Nuff said now back to the shitty state of stadiums in NZ, like old mans beard Eden Park must go, it's a travesty that the All Blacks have to play in such a substandard stadium in NZs biggest city, it's an embarrassement!


----------



## KingmanIII (Aug 25, 2008)

Rob73 said:


> ...the NRL is pretty shit compared to Super Rugby, if Australia stoped pissing around with it you'd be much better at Rugby Union.


Then the Warriors should run away with the Premiership every year, no? :lol:


----------



## Walbanger (Jan 10, 2006)

KingmanIII said:


> Playing: Union
> Watching: League/Sevens


Playing: Union

Watching: I'd rather watch a bad game of League over a bad game of Union, but watch a good game of Union over a good game of League.


----------



## CharlieP (Sep 12, 2002)

Rob73 said:


> Since when was NRL homegrown, it came from Northern England. It's been dying internationally for years, the NRL is pretty shit compared to Super Rugby, if Australia stoped pissing around with it you'd be much better at Rugby Union.


The NRL *is* a pretty big deal in eastern Australia, and that's the problem - State of Origin is seen as the pinnacle of the sport, and the international game doesn't really get a look in as a result.


----------



## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

Rob73 said:


> Since when was NRL homegrown, it came from Northern England. It's been dying internationally for years, the NRL is pretty shit compared to Super Rugby, if Australia stoped pissing around with it you'd be much better at Rugby Union.
> 
> Nuff said now back to the shitty state of stadiums in NZ, like old mans beard Eden Park must go, it's a travesty that the All Blacks have to play in such a substandard stadium in NZs biggest city, it's an embarrassement!


I agree. Maybe build that lovely dream stadium that's on the waterfront where all the oil storage tanks are - a-la cake-tin (location, not shape or size), and incorporate the park, rather than where the Long Cloud pier is ?
Then remodel Eden Park to be a cricket stadium, with possibility to make it a running track for a commonwealth games bid down the line.
Problem with NZ is that money is always tight!

Although - I suppose Albany / North Shore stadium is the most likely for Commy Games given the space around it for other sports halls/fields.
If that was the case - What CAN they do with Eden Park?
I know in London, the old Arsenal stadium was turned into commercial/offices and flats. - Does Auckland have the need/cash for such a conversion?


----------



## master_klon (Jul 20, 2011)

Eden Park won't be replaced, and I doubt many taxpayers would be keen on that anyway. RWC2011 was the only chance to build a new large capacity stadium, and it was decided to refurbish Eden Park instead. As is the case for nearly every stadium in NZ, only the All Blacks can fill the stadium. I think there would be a better case to construct a 25000 seater rectangular stadium to the east of Vector Arena or on the waterfront, for league, rugby union, and football. That would replace the aging Mt Smart and would also mean that North Harbour wouldn't need further development.
The City Rail Link is currently under construction, and will make Eden Park less than a 10min train ride from the CBD, rather than the 20min+ ride it is at the moment. There are plans for a new boutique cricket ground in Auckland, which will mean that Eden Park's outer oval can be sold for a mixed use development, to make the area more of a destination.

Westpac Stadium will have its concourse refurbished in the next six months ($7.3m), the turf will be replaced this summer ($1.3m), and in the next three years the giant replay screens will be replaced ($4m). The local teams can only fill a third of the capacity, and whilst the Phoenix did have plans to construct a small rectangular stadium, this proposal seems to have been shelved for the moment.

Christchurch will be getting a 35000 seater stadium as part of the city rebuild, although the start of construction could be 5 to 10 years away.


----------



## Rob73 (Jun 18, 2014)

KingmanIII said:


> Then the Warriors should run away with the Premiership every year, no? :lol:


I've never followed the warriors, another complete waste of money.


----------



## Rob73 (Jun 18, 2014)

CharlieP said:


> The NRL *is* a pretty big deal in eastern Australia, and that's the problem - State of Origin is seen as the pinnacle of the sport, and the international game doesn't really get a look in as a result.


Watching State of Origin compared to the games twenty or more years ago shows just how crappy league is today, it's just boring.


----------



## Rob73 (Jun 18, 2014)

Marsupalami said:


> If that was the case - What CAN they do with Eden Park?


I'd pull it down and sell the land to developers for high density housing, it's in the perfect location for it, close to transport and amenities. The proceeds from the sale would go towards the new stadium.


----------



## CharlieP (Sep 12, 2002)

The "problem" is that, unlike Twickenham, which is full for six or seven England internationals a year, plus the Premiership final, Harlequins' Christmas game and occasion European final, plus extra events like the NFL this Sunday, Eden Park is only ever going to be full once or twice a year for New Zealand home Tests, plus maybe a Super Rugby final.


----------



## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

The idea of Heritage/tradition of location in sports is outdated these days. - Just look at Premier league teams in the UK who would give their left nut for new stadia and abandon the sacred homes.
Cape Town has the diametrically opposite but also similar issue to you guys in Auckland.

There, Newlands stadium is ageing and Western Province Rugby cannot conceive of moving to amazing 50 000 seater Cape Town Stadium where the entire match day build up etc is so much better. Right next to the Waterfront for bars and restaurants, and close to city centre hotels.
The reason there is that Newlands is owned by the provincial rugby union so all revenue goes to them, whereas the CT Stadium is owned by the City whom they would have to rent it from, and possibly share with the local soccer teams from time to time.

Ultimately modern fans want the best stadium experience, transpo links, and Pre/post match buzz. Newlands is in an upmarket suburb very similar to Mnt Eden, and the land, like yours, could fetch a pretty penny on sale/redevelopment. The WP Rugby boards stubbornness is also routed in "History" and sentimentalism as well as short term budgetary mindset.


----------



## master_klon (Jul 20, 2011)

Not really substantial news, but the new Auckland mayor wants the council to plan for a future CBD stadium to replace Eden Park.

*Phil Goff puts CBD stadium back on table*

New Auckland Mayor Phil Goff wants to make an early start on a $1 billion stadium on railway land alongside Vector Arena.

In an interview with NewstalkZB's Tony Veitch to be aired today, Goff said he does not want to spend an estimated $250 million on upgrading Eden Park over the next 15 years and believes the spiritual home of rugby and cricket could be sold for as much as $300m. Goff, who has only been in the mayoral job for two weeks, stressed the council did not have up to $1b to invest in a new stadium right now but if the council did not start planning it would miss the boat. The mayor said private investment would be required and he hoped the Government might also provide some funding towards the project.

There was only one suitable site left in Auckland which could be home to a long-mooted CBD stadium, Goff said, and that was the railway land next to Vector Arena close to the city's main rail, bus and ferry and motorway links. Ngati Whatua, who own the land, wanted to do a deal, he said. "What a great place for a stadium. When I look around the city that looks to me to be the best option," Goff told Veitch. "It's not as if we are going to have a new stadium in the next five or 10 years but it means we still have that option of putting a stadium in the right place. We really need to preserve that option." ...MORE


----------



## Rob73 (Jun 18, 2014)

master_klon said:


> Not really substantial news, but the new Auckland mayor wants the council to plan for a future CBD stadium to replace Eden Park.
> 
> *Phil Goff puts CBD stadium back on table*
> 
> ...


This has to happen, Eden Park is well past it use by date, throwing more money at it isn't going to fix it's location issue. It's time to call time on it and throw away anymore public funds.


----------



## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

I don't see enough land near the Vector Arena for a stadium unless its in the Docks?


----------



## Rob73 (Jun 18, 2014)

Marsupalami said:


> I don't see enough land near the Vector Arena for a stadium unless its in the Docks?


They would have to build over the top of the railway tracks, possible putting them underground, bright idea add a stadium station if they did this, all the carparking along The Strand would have to go, as well as the gas station, KFC and McDonalds and those nasty apartments above the shops, along with the shops. They could use the Old Railway Station as the grand entrance foyer.


----------



## Marsupalami (Jan 29, 2009)

now that'd be rad! - though can you see that strip mall where the maccas is and apartment owners leaving that strip easily>? 
- Agreed there'd have to be a podium base on top of the tracks but you probably wouldn't be able to construct a big stadium on top of that would you?
The NIMBYS in Parnell would kick off too


----------



## mrErythroxylum (Mar 9, 2010)

Rob73 said:


> Since when was NRL homegrown, it came from Northern England. It's been dying internationally for years, the NRL is pretty shit compared to Super Rugby, if Australia stoped pissing around with it you'd be much better at Rugby Union.
> 
> Nuff said now back to the shitty state of stadiums in NZ, like old mans beard Eden Park must go, it's a travesty that the All Blacks have to play in such a substandard stadium in NZs biggest city, it's an embarrassement!


You claim _“the NRL is pretty shit compared to Super Rugby...“_ - mate I dunno how the NRL is shitter the SR when,

*the NRL competition is heaps more exciting than SR's...*
- each year the NRL has provided different winners, where virtually every team can win the comp, produces more close games and less blowouts than SR. The SR tournament has the same few teams able to win each year, and the same teams each year destined to be mid table and destined to be bottom. 
- Unlike the NRL the SR has thinned out its player talent pool so much by adding too many teams that it's comp is a lot more predictable (and thus boring) compared to the NRL.

*the NRL outrages super rugby for audiences and broadcast dollars...*
- In Australia SR sits way back in the order when it comes to tv viewers, the NRL (and AFL) have the highest followed by big bash 20/20 cricket, then A-league soccer then SR. Interest and demand for SR (much of the wallabies games too sadly) are so low that no free to air tv channels show SR games and on Paytv the viewer figures are VERY LOW, again lower than all above mentioned and by ALOT. 
- The NRL is so strong that it's tv deal smashes both the ARU and NZRU tv deals (even combined!), AU$1.8 billion over 5 years or AU$360 million a year compared to the ARU's AU$285 million over 5 years or AU$57 a year, and the NZRU's NZ$350 over 5 years or just under NZ$70 million a year. 
- SR has been lucky upto now that the NRL has had a mediocre salary cap but this is all to change with it set to rise to around $7million in 2017 and JUMP to around $11 in 2018! When this happens SR clubs specially in Australia and NZ will find it very hard to compete with the NRL in regard to player salaries and offers, and will find it increasingly harder to keep young talented and established players if an NRL shows interest. This will weaken SR (aswell as both the NZ and aust national teams) even more.

also you claim _”if Australia stoped pissing around with it you'd be much better at Rugby Union...”_ - But the last time I checked the wallabies were 2nd in the world rankings(more than likely they've dropped down abit since recent poor results) and I dunno I may be old school but where I come from sitting 2nd or even I n the top 5 or so in the world constitutes that team definitely 'being good' at that particular sport lol... When yu take into consideration how miniscle the rugby player pool is in Australia and that with about 5 other sports more popular here and with this the better/more talented youngsters are more likely to go to than rugby, it's a miraculous effort that the wallabies are up where they are really!


----------



## Wezza (Jan 22, 2004)

Super rugby is a Mickey Mouse competition which is not taken seriously in Australia.


----------



## rafamun (Jun 25, 2014)

Lol


----------



## fidalgo (Mar 10, 2007)

proposal for Christchurch




































@Stadiumdb


----------



## Red85 (Jan 23, 2007)

Simply fantastic.


----------



## RMB2007 (Apr 1, 2007)

> *The Government is set to make an announcement on Christchurch's new stadium this week.*
> 
> A stadium is among the city's rebuild projects and officials have been debating about how many seats it should have, whether it should be covered, and if it will be for sports only or a multi-use arena.
> 
> ...


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12038642


----------



## Rover030 (Dec 6, 2016)

Is there a particular reason why governments in New Zealand and Australia seem really eager to finance and own/operate stadiums?

It seems like while many other stadiums in the developed world are financed partly by government funds, but also partly privately and often owned and operated privately, New Zealand and Australia governments take full control.


----------



## Red85 (Jan 23, 2007)

RMB2007 said:


> http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12038642


Lancaster park was 35.000+.
Christchurch is a large city. 
City is home to the Crusaders.
I think the All Blacks also would like to play on the largest city on the Southern Island. 
I also think Christchurch likes a concert once in a while.

Why a smaller stadium then? Why a 25.000?


----------



## Christchurch (Feb 17, 2015)

Sounds like we will finally have to start a new stadium thread soon!:banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:


> *'We foresee a roofed stadium' - Christchurch's Metro Sports Facility project 'back on track' with ambitious new stadium design*
> 
> Ms Woods also gave an update of a new Christchurch stadium which will look to emulate Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr by having a closed roof.
> 
> ...


https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new...ility-project-back-track-ambitious-new-design

Hosting major test matches requires 30,000+? :cheers:


----------



## Marvo (May 12, 2010)

So happy for Christchurch that this might actually be happening, the city has been through so much in the last 7 years with dubious rebuild decisions and priorities (the iconic city cathedral is literally still lying where it fell)

Bring on a rectangle covered stadium to compliment the about to be completed Nga Puna Wai sports zone south of the city and finally sports in the city have facilities without driving to Timaru or Dunedin.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12040649&ref=NZH_fb


----------



## RMB2007 (Apr 1, 2007)

> *A new National Stadium is being planned in downtown Auckland
> 
> Auckland Council and the Government are discussing plans for a new national stadium in downtown Auckland costing between $1.1 billion and $1.5b.*
> 
> ...


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=12054339&ref=twitter


----------



## RMB2007 (Apr 1, 2007)

> Sir Graham Henry is the latest to throw his support behind the building of a new stadium on the Auckland waterfront.
> 
> The legendary All Blacks coach said it should've been put in place for the Rugby World Cup in 2011, when the Government decided against it in favour of temporarily extending Eden Park.
> 
> ...


www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/0...endorses-new-auckland-waterfront-stadium.html


----------

