October 4, 2025 • 9 mins
The Government recently announced a $5 million investment in a new Centre Court roof for Auckland’s Manuka Doctor Arena.
The covered venue will mean an end to rain cancellations and delays and assist in attracting players, with many other short and long-term benefits.
Tennis Auckland CEO Rohan West joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zedb Rowan.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
West is CEO of Tennis Auckland. Rowan, thanks for joining
us five million. That seems significant. How much will that
cash injection from the government help support your Center Court
roof project cure?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Jay five million is approximately one third of the total
amount we're needing. We're looking at just on fifteen million
dollars for the entire project. Quite a bit of that
has actually already been spent with the demolition of the
Robinson stand in, some court extension works and other enabling
works that we got going on, So yeah, it is significant.
(00:49):
We already had around two point one million in the pot,
so that takes us up to close to fifty percent
and with a fair wind behind us, I think we'll
be at about ten million by Christmas. So we're well
on the way. And as I say, this is a
really significant announcement and gets us well down the track.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
How much is Auckland Council going to kick in.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
We're still in discussions with them on the final number. Obviously,
a news article came out a couple of weeks ago
or a couple of months ago now that we were
successful in getting a one point five million dollar grant
from the Sport and Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund from
the council. So and part of that is going to
(01:35):
these works that are currently ongoing. So yeah, they've committed,
they're in the game and on the team. We're just
working through some other options to get to that final
fifteen mil. So.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I guess it helps, doesn't it when you approach private
investors now, and I guess local government as well. There's
a certainty now that this is going to happen. I mean,
at the start you had to get off the start line,
and I know you did that well with some private investment,
but now there's some certainty around this.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Absolutely you're did right and we're seeing that straightaway. Greg Long,
our immediate past president, who's been leading the charge on
most of our funding work outside of the grant sector,
which is my responsibility. So he's been talking to a
lot of high networth individuals and private donors, and he's
(02:25):
also leading the process on our nineteen fifty six Club,
which is a long term seat to venture program that
we've launched, and we've sold about sixty percent of all
the seats available for that, and that's going to be
around one point two million dollars if we sell all
the seats that we've got available. So yeah, and those
(02:48):
discussions are really proven very fruitful in the last twenty
four hours, so it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Is big outstanding. So Robin, bestcase scenario, when are we
going to have a roof up?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
If all the planets aligned and everything was literally track,
we could have this in place for the twenty twenty
seven ASP Classic, But we're going to be heading reality
and the realities of construction in the New Zealand environment.
So we've got building consents, we've got tender processes, we've
(03:23):
got building construction contracts to sign. So yeah, I certainly
expect now that there will be a roof over Manuka
Doctor Arena Center Court in the twenty twenty seven calendar year.
Whether it's in time for the ASP Classic twenty twenty seven,
all the stars are going to have to align, but
(03:45):
we're going to work our tails off to make sure
that we do our best to get those stars aligned all.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Right, and if not twenty twenty eight obviously, Now this
also means I think rowan increased capacity for center court, does.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
It, Yes, that is part of the works that we've
got going on right now, So we demolished the Robinson stand.
The Grand Old Lady of Cender Court had come to
the end of its useful life, so we demolished that
about two months ago. We had to increase the size
of center court to meet ATP Tour standards. The game
(04:19):
has become so much more powerful and the players are
playing much deeper in the court these days, and they
changed their standards about two years ago, so officially we
were too short in terms of our total court area,
so we're increasing the court area by about four meters
in depth. But what that also allows us to do
(04:40):
is put in a new temporary grand stand for the
ASB Classic, which will go to one thousand seats instead
of eight hundred which the old Robinson had. And then
also in our northeast corner, where we used to have
a temporary corporate box stand, that's going to be converted
to grandstand seating, hiring grandstand and setting for about two
(05:01):
hundred and thirty, so we will end up with three thousand,
five hundred capacity, four hundred above what we had last.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yet, without these upgrades, would the ASB Classic Fortnite have
been under serious threat.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
We always are Jason. The people that aren't involved in
tennis probably don't know what the pressures are to get
these licenses and get these tournaments in countries. There is
so much wealth out there in the world that people
just don't realize, whether at a city level, country level,
(05:38):
or an individual investor level. So we're always being under
pressure by countries or cities or even individuals to buy
the licenses of the two tournaments we run. So if
we don't upgrade our facilities, if we don't keep improving,
one day, either an investor or a city or even
(06:01):
the ATP itself will tap us on the shoulder and say,
are you really serious? Is Auckland is tennis, Auckland is
tennis New Zealand? Are you really serious about improving and
being a world class tournament. If you're not, get out
of the game, and then that would be devastating for
Auckland and New Zealand and the sporting and entertainment landscape.
(06:23):
So we pretty much have to do this, and it's
like anything in the world. If you want to be
world class, you've got to look around and see what
your competition is, and you've got to meet that or
exceed it well.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
As I understand of the ASP Classic delivered to gross
economic boost of twenty two point three million to Auckland
this year, so yeah, well worth doing. As I just
love the ambition because you're right. It would be easy
to do nothing, wouldn't it, But then you know we
would have to find something else to do in the
first couple of weeks of January every year.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Yeah, and we love being the go to sports and
entertainment event for Auckland's and New Zealanders and people kind
of forget that twenty five percent of all of our
attendees come from outside of Auckland and three percent, about
twelve hundred a year, come from overseas. So that's the
likes of five seven, eight seven Dreamline is coming into
(07:15):
Auckland specifically for people to come and watch the ASP Classic.
You can't undervalue that, as you say, that's twenty three
million dollars, twenty two million dollars of GDP growth GDP impact.
But what also what we also fire event throws into
the government coffers about three million dollars of tax a year.
(07:36):
So doing this project increasing our capacity, running more third
party events at the at the venue will increase the
tax take for the government, so everybody wins. GDP grows,
we can drive more growth in jobs and we run
more interesting and innovative events here at Minuka Doctor Arena.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, I was going to say so just tennis. Does
this open the venue up to other events as well?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah? Absolutely, We've been looking to more events here over
the last few years. Some of your listeners might remember
there was a concert here court Center Court Sounds with
the New Zealand band Leisure in January this year. Went
off really well and it was almost a test case
of what we can do with a little boutique a
(08:23):
venue in the CBD. This coming year in twenty twenty six,
were actually going to be the host venue for the
Fever or the International Basketball Federation endorsed Death three on
three Basketball World Cup, so they're going to be playing
on Center Court in September next year, with or without
a roof over Center Court. And they're the sorts of
(08:44):
events and even higher level events, maybe a Fever three
on three World Series event, a World Beach Volleyball Tour event,
lots of things, more concerts, so there's just almost unlimited
range of events. Who need a boutique one to four
(09:05):
thousand capacity, the arena close to downtown, close to transport links,
that is accessible and affordable to rent. We think we're
going to be in a sweet spot for those sort
of events in the future.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Well it's ovi guess you've got real momentum now a
red letter day with government investment confirmed. Rolan, thanks for
your time. Did I look forward to following the progress
over the next few months to the actual green light
and then over the next couple of years for the
development of the roof. Thanks for taking the time for
a chat.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Cheers, Jason.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Thank you for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
Listen live to News Talk sed B weekends from midday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zedb Rowan.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
West is CEO of Tennis Auckland. Rowan, thanks for joining
us five million. That seems significant. How much will that
cash injection from the government help support your Center Court
roof project cure?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Jay five million is approximately one third of the total
amount we're needing. We're looking at just on fifteen million
dollars for the entire project. Quite a bit of that
has actually already been spent with the demolition of the
Robinson stand in, some court extension works and other enabling
works that we got going on, So yeah, it is significant.
(00:49):
We already had around two point one million in the pot,
so that takes us up to close to fifty percent
and with a fair wind behind us, I think we'll
be at about ten million by Christmas. So we're well
on the way. And as I say, this is a
really significant announcement and gets us well down the track.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
How much is Auckland Council going to kick in.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
We're still in discussions with them on the final number. Obviously,
a news article came out a couple of weeks ago
or a couple of months ago now that we were
successful in getting a one point five million dollar grant
from the Sport and Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund from
the council. So and part of that is going to
(01:35):
these works that are currently ongoing. So yeah, they've committed,
they're in the game and on the team. We're just
working through some other options to get to that final
fifteen mil. So.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I guess it helps, doesn't it when you approach private
investors now, and I guess local government as well. There's
a certainty now that this is going to happen. I mean,
at the start you had to get off the start line,
and I know you did that well with some private investment,
but now there's some certainty around this.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Absolutely you're did right and we're seeing that straightaway. Greg Long,
our immediate past president, who's been leading the charge on
most of our funding work outside of the grant sector,
which is my responsibility. So he's been talking to a
lot of high networth individuals and private donors, and he's
(02:25):
also leading the process on our nineteen fifty six Club,
which is a long term seat to venture program that
we've launched, and we've sold about sixty percent of all
the seats available for that, and that's going to be
around one point two million dollars if we sell all
the seats that we've got available. So yeah, and those
(02:48):
discussions are really proven very fruitful in the last twenty
four hours, so it.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Is big outstanding. So Robin, bestcase scenario, when are we
going to have a roof up?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
If all the planets aligned and everything was literally track,
we could have this in place for the twenty twenty
seven ASP Classic, But we're going to be heading reality
and the realities of construction in the New Zealand environment.
So we've got building consents, we've got tender processes, we've
(03:23):
got building construction contracts to sign. So yeah, I certainly
expect now that there will be a roof over Manuka
Doctor Arena Center Court in the twenty twenty seven calendar year.
Whether it's in time for the ASP Classic twenty twenty seven,
all the stars are going to have to align, but
(03:45):
we're going to work our tails off to make sure
that we do our best to get those stars aligned all.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Right, and if not twenty twenty eight obviously, Now this
also means I think rowan increased capacity for center court, does.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
It, Yes, that is part of the works that we've
got going on right now, So we demolished the Robinson stand.
The Grand Old Lady of Cender Court had come to
the end of its useful life, so we demolished that
about two months ago. We had to increase the size
of center court to meet ATP Tour standards. The game
(04:19):
has become so much more powerful and the players are
playing much deeper in the court these days, and they
changed their standards about two years ago, so officially we
were too short in terms of our total court area,
so we're increasing the court area by about four meters
in depth. But what that also allows us to do
(04:40):
is put in a new temporary grand stand for the
ASB Classic, which will go to one thousand seats instead
of eight hundred which the old Robinson had. And then
also in our northeast corner, where we used to have
a temporary corporate box stand, that's going to be converted
to grandstand seating, hiring grandstand and setting for about two
(05:01):
hundred and thirty, so we will end up with three thousand,
five hundred capacity, four hundred above what we had last.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yet, without these upgrades, would the ASB Classic Fortnite have
been under serious threat.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
We always are Jason. The people that aren't involved in
tennis probably don't know what the pressures are to get
these licenses and get these tournaments in countries. There is
so much wealth out there in the world that people
just don't realize, whether at a city level, country level,
(05:38):
or an individual investor level. So we're always being under
pressure by countries or cities or even individuals to buy
the licenses of the two tournaments we run. So if
we don't upgrade our facilities, if we don't keep improving,
one day, either an investor or a city or even
(06:01):
the ATP itself will tap us on the shoulder and say,
are you really serious? Is Auckland is tennis, Auckland is
tennis New Zealand? Are you really serious about improving and
being a world class tournament. If you're not, get out
of the game, and then that would be devastating for
Auckland and New Zealand and the sporting and entertainment landscape.
(06:23):
So we pretty much have to do this, and it's
like anything in the world. If you want to be
world class, you've got to look around and see what
your competition is, and you've got to meet that or
exceed it well.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
As I understand of the ASP Classic delivered to gross
economic boost of twenty two point three million to Auckland
this year, so yeah, well worth doing. As I just
love the ambition because you're right. It would be easy
to do nothing, wouldn't it, But then you know we
would have to find something else to do in the
first couple of weeks of January every year.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Yeah, and we love being the go to sports and
entertainment event for Auckland's and New Zealanders and people kind
of forget that twenty five percent of all of our
attendees come from outside of Auckland and three percent, about
twelve hundred a year, come from overseas. So that's the
likes of five seven, eight seven Dreamline is coming into
(07:15):
Auckland specifically for people to come and watch the ASP Classic.
You can't undervalue that, as you say, that's twenty three
million dollars, twenty two million dollars of GDP growth GDP impact.
But what also what we also fire event throws into
the government coffers about three million dollars of tax a year.
(07:36):
So doing this project increasing our capacity, running more third
party events at the at the venue will increase the
tax take for the government, so everybody wins. GDP grows,
we can drive more growth in jobs and we run
more interesting and innovative events here at Minuka Doctor Arena.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, I was going to say so just tennis. Does
this open the venue up to other events as well?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah? Absolutely, We've been looking to more events here over
the last few years. Some of your listeners might remember
there was a concert here court Center Court Sounds with
the New Zealand band Leisure in January this year. Went
off really well and it was almost a test case
of what we can do with a little boutique a
(08:23):
venue in the CBD. This coming year in twenty twenty six,
were actually going to be the host venue for the
Fever or the International Basketball Federation endorsed Death three on
three Basketball World Cup, so they're going to be playing
on Center Court in September next year, with or without
a roof over Center Court. And they're the sorts of
(08:44):
events and even higher level events, maybe a Fever three
on three World Series event, a World Beach Volleyball Tour event,
lots of things, more concerts, so there's just almost unlimited
range of events. Who need a boutique one to four
(09:05):
thousand capacity, the arena close to downtown, close to transport links,
that is accessible and affordable to rent. We think we're
going to be in a sweet spot for those sort
of events in the future.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Well it's ovi guess you've got real momentum now a
red letter day with government investment confirmed. Rolan, thanks for
your time. Did I look forward to following the progress
over the next few months to the actual green light
and then over the next couple of years for the
development of the roof. Thanks for taking the time for
a chat.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Cheers, Jason.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Thank you for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
Listen live to News Talk sed B weekends from midday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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