March 27, 2025 • 9 mins
A strong endorsement for Eden Park - as Councillors debate Auckland's stadium.
Councillors need to decide whether to endorse upgrading Eden Park - or building a new waterfront site.
Councillor and Stadium Working group Chair, Shane Henderson, says upgrading the current park - would make Auckland competitive through the Asia Pacific.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from news Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's eleven past seven Stadium Talk. It never goes away.
It's a recurring nightmare for everyone in and around Auckland.
They're still finding consortiums and people's garden sheds. The list
goes on. But finally the Stadium Working Group today of
the Council has said, you know what, we're given the
thumbs up to Eden Park two point one. What does
(00:35):
that actually mean? Stadium Working Group chair Shane Henderson joins
us now evening, mate, Yeah, good evening, huge day in
the story the long running saga of Auckland stadia. First up,
I'd like you to explain to us and the listeners
out there what exactly you were voting on.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yes, I think a great day for the city.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
So councilors voted by a majority of seventeen to two
to endorse Eden Park is essentially the our choice as
a city for the national stadium for Auckland, and that
carries I think strong kind of advocacy. Wait for that
trust to raise some money with either central government or
private partners or both, safe in the knowledge that we're
(01:20):
backing them.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
To the hell right.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So advocacy this is what it's all about. You don't
actually have a huge amount of say about finance, about
ownership of land, about anything. It's just you saying the
Auckland Council like this idea will back it.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Well it's a signal to the market, isn't it that
you can confidently partner with these guys and it'll pass
muster and we want to back it in any way
that we can kind of do from that kind of
political standpoint.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So what do you base that on.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Well, we've done a.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Two year process of identifying bids for a national stadium.
We ended up with four and then recently we voted
that down to two, and then today we voted that
down to one. So look, it's been a long process,
but I think a really thorough one and a really
exciting one.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It was dominant, wasn't it Eden Park? They rolled right
over top of every bodybody else. Why do you think
that was the case, Shane.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Well, I think ultimately we had a report with some
staff advice that said, look, both bids that we're dealing
with had some issues, but Eden Park had significantly less
issues and their main issue is actually finding the money
right and without our sort of voice, I think that.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Can really help them along in that quest.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
So they didn't have much in the way of technical
problems or anything kind of that.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They're kind of a plug and play option there.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
You say plug and play. So simplicity is a key
to this whole engagement, and I'm presuming with simplicity becomes
speed of completion.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yeah, one hundred percent, and speed of completion obviously will
result from kind of financing. But I think the key
point here is that we want to compete for the
best events within the entire Age of Pacific region. So
we're not competing against Wellington and christ Church. We're competing
against Australia and Asia to attract some of the best
events that we can. And you know, we do need
some redevelopment to do that, and I'm glad that we
(03:06):
back then in today.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
So when you look at the future, because there's a
first step, now one hundred and ten million bucks to that.
So we'll talk about the minute. Then there's a second step,
then there's a third step. What you're saying is the
council are behind each step. They're not going to drag
any of the propositions down, we have to re challenge
that this is for the whole completed shebang.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, and those stages are obviously ordered right. So stage
one is the most vital one, and that will be
to turn Eden Park, you know, famously having its challenges
with a short straight boundary, which helped us a hell
of a lot in the twenty fifteen World Cut. But
that will turn that they can have retractable setting so
they can turn that essentially into a cricket ground.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
As well a proper one that's ICC compliance.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
So that's number one stage and I think a really
exciting one for the city. In the future, they'll be
looking at various kinds of remodeling to make it for
purpose as well.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
But that's the first one to get off the ground.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
So sport's a huge part of this, joined by Counselor
Shane Henderson, plainly because it's where the rugby and looks
like where the cricket is going to be. It's a
very important part of it. But what kind of percentage
and when it comes to general entertainment, we're talking things
outside of sports like, for example, concerts. How much did
that sway the decision that the Council to back this.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah, look, I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
The focus on sport has been quite a fixation for
the city and I think in the past for council
as well. But you know, in the modern world, concerts
are becoming bigger and bigger deals and creating more and
more revenue, and some of these world too is absolutely
amazing these days, and so we need to be focusing
on concerts as well, but also kind of more day
to day things like cultural events that Alkander just really
(04:46):
get behind as well.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
So it's a bigger picture than just sport. But that's
we're a sport.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Mad city, so we're obviously going to talk about that
as well.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
You've got no money, I mean only anyone's got any
money quite frankly, Shane, So you're not going to give
them anything. And where are they going to get the
one hundred and ten million dollars from? You confident they
can pick that up from somewhere. The government going to
come to the party.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I reckon they're well, I'm confident and I reckon they
can pick that up somehow, because you know they'll be
looking to partner with fire, the central government or private
investment or both cret's a really attractive proposition for economic
development and growth in our economy in the city. I mean,
if we want to be a culture of yes, then
this is an off the shelf option to kind of
demonstrate that.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
If you want to be a culture of yes. People
would suggest you went for the big bad option, which
is tetong Roa. This is advancing the course. I know,
pro key Park go, this is the future, this is modern,
this is uplifting, and they would say Eden Park is
a relic of the future. It's basically just adding to
someone you're playing lego, what do you say to that?
(05:50):
Because you can see the point behind that one, can't you.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
I can see the point behind that because you know,
I think nearly every Aucklander has really strong opinions on stadiums,
and they tend to break very evenly in my experience,
certainly with my friends and family. But yeah, and people
did want us to look at a central city option,
for sure, and I think they came back with something
that was fantastic, but there were some key issues in
terms of its feasibility that we ultimately just couldn't look past.
(06:18):
And so look, I respect different opinions, Yeah, look at
it's not just a finance thing, although they certainly had
sort of some financial challenges as well as did Eden Park.
But look, they have some technical issues down there in
terms of kind of reordering the city, and it's a
fairly small site getting people around it in terms of
the transport.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
There's a few different issues there.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
In terms of the technicalities of what they wanted to do. Look,
I back any development they can do down there. I
think it's as part of the city that really needs
to be unlocked, but it's got to be fit for
purpose as well.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Is this curtains? Do you think for a waterfront stadium?
This has been a pipe dream of Auckland is as
you said, for decades, and people are tired of consortiums
turning out promising everything and nothing ever happening. Is this
the death knell?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Look, I think one of the purposes of this exercises
to be really good clear where Auckland Council and by extension,
aucklands Land on this question.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
And so therefore you know who knows.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I mean, they can develop things, if they can make
it work, then there's nothing actually stopping them doing that.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
So in a way it's kind of not over.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
But I think it's a really clear stake in the
ground that we have a preferred partner that we want
to work with.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Tell us about the ownership of eden Park, not only
the stadium itself, but the ground it sits upon. This
has been problematic in the past. Does this represent future issues?
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Yeah, Look, it's always been a little bit of a
sticking point in all of these stadium debates. Right so,
Eden Park Trust technically not owned by the council. It's
owned by a charitable trust that has Crown appointees that's
got to each from Auckland Rugby Union in Auckland cricket
and so it's owned essentially by a private trust and
(08:00):
so that becomes a bit of an issue when we're
talking about public stadiums around the council table.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
So you know, we appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Same time, through this process, we've been working with their
team and I think we've got full confidence that they
can do this to the best of their ability, and
I think it's great expertise.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
There so it can be overcome this kind of piecemeal
ownership situation. You don't see that as being a roadblock
or something that sticks in the throat of the development
of this in the future because are you relying on
goodwill here?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Look, I'm not too concerned about kind of their ownership structure.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
I think we need to zoom out and be a
bit more visionary.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
And the fact is we've already got a stadium there
that we can redevelop to make it certainly a modern,
world class national stadium that can attract these big events.
I think it's sensible to look at utilizing it.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
And finally, our counselor, Shane Henderson thinks, as always for
your time, will will this be the national stadium of
New Zealand, just not of Auckland.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I mean Auckland produces over a third of the country's
GDP one point seven million people. We've got the market
here and we can scale up and really take on
the world.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
I think it's a great day for the city.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Right, So it's all go you basically you hit the
green light. That's happening, Eden Parker, is it And that's
what we're looking for in the future.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And so I may have said this before, but timescale
will when you're looking at the first one to be
complete and how long before the whole should.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Be Yeah, Look, We've got some indicative time scales from
the Trust. They're looking at sort of a matter of
I'm trying to remember it's been a long council meeting,
but something like three to five years I think is
the indication. But that's going to be heavily dependent on finance,
so I think that is a very rough indication.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to news Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from news Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's eleven past seven Stadium Talk. It never goes away.
It's a recurring nightmare for everyone in and around Auckland.
They're still finding consortiums and people's garden sheds. The list
goes on. But finally the Stadium Working Group today of
the Council has said, you know what, we're given the
thumbs up to Eden Park two point one. What does
(00:35):
that actually mean? Stadium Working Group chair Shane Henderson joins
us now evening, mate, Yeah, good evening, huge day in
the story the long running saga of Auckland stadia. First up,
I'd like you to explain to us and the listeners
out there what exactly you were voting on.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Yes, I think a great day for the city.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
So councilors voted by a majority of seventeen to two
to endorse Eden Park is essentially the our choice as
a city for the national stadium for Auckland, and that
carries I think strong kind of advocacy. Wait for that
trust to raise some money with either central government or
private partners or both, safe in the knowledge that we're
(01:20):
backing them.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
To the hell right.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
So advocacy this is what it's all about. You don't
actually have a huge amount of say about finance, about
ownership of land, about anything. It's just you saying the
Auckland Council like this idea will back it.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Well it's a signal to the market, isn't it that
you can confidently partner with these guys and it'll pass
muster and we want to back it in any way
that we can kind of do from that kind of
political standpoint.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So what do you base that on.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Well, we've done a.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Two year process of identifying bids for a national stadium.
We ended up with four and then recently we voted
that down to two, and then today we voted that
down to one. So look, it's been a long process,
but I think a really thorough one and a really
exciting one.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
It was dominant, wasn't it Eden Park? They rolled right
over top of every bodybody else. Why do you think
that was the case, Shane.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Well, I think ultimately we had a report with some
staff advice that said, look, both bids that we're dealing
with had some issues, but Eden Park had significantly less
issues and their main issue is actually finding the money
right and without our sort of voice, I think that.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Can really help them along in that quest.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
So they didn't have much in the way of technical
problems or anything kind of that.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
They're kind of a plug and play option there.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
You say plug and play. So simplicity is a key
to this whole engagement, and I'm presuming with simplicity becomes
speed of completion.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Yeah, one hundred percent, and speed of completion obviously will
result from kind of financing. But I think the key
point here is that we want to compete for the
best events within the entire Age of Pacific region. So
we're not competing against Wellington and christ Church. We're competing
against Australia and Asia to attract some of the best
events that we can. And you know, we do need
some redevelopment to do that, and I'm glad that we
(03:06):
back then in today.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
So when you look at the future, because there's a
first step, now one hundred and ten million bucks to that.
So we'll talk about the minute. Then there's a second step,
then there's a third step. What you're saying is the
council are behind each step. They're not going to drag
any of the propositions down, we have to re challenge
that this is for the whole completed shebang.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, and those stages are obviously ordered right. So stage
one is the most vital one, and that will be
to turn Eden Park, you know, famously having its challenges
with a short straight boundary, which helped us a hell
of a lot in the twenty fifteen World Cut. But
that will turn that they can have retractable setting so
they can turn that essentially into a cricket ground.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
As well a proper one that's ICC compliance.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
So that's number one stage and I think a really
exciting one for the city. In the future, they'll be
looking at various kinds of remodeling to make it for
purpose as well.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
But that's the first one to get off the ground.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
So sport's a huge part of this, joined by Counselor
Shane Henderson, plainly because it's where the rugby and looks
like where the cricket is going to be. It's a
very important part of it. But what kind of percentage
and when it comes to general entertainment, we're talking things
outside of sports like, for example, concerts. How much did
that sway the decision that the Council to back this.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Yeah, look, I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
The focus on sport has been quite a fixation for
the city and I think in the past for council
as well. But you know, in the modern world, concerts
are becoming bigger and bigger deals and creating more and
more revenue, and some of these world too is absolutely
amazing these days, and so we need to be focusing
on concerts as well, but also kind of more day
to day things like cultural events that Alkander just really
(04:46):
get behind as well.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
So it's a bigger picture than just sport. But that's
we're a sport.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Mad city, so we're obviously going to talk about that
as well.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
You've got no money, I mean only anyone's got any
money quite frankly, Shane, So you're not going to give
them anything. And where are they going to get the
one hundred and ten million dollars from? You confident they
can pick that up from somewhere. The government going to
come to the party.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I reckon they're well, I'm confident and I reckon they
can pick that up somehow, because you know they'll be
looking to partner with fire, the central government or private
investment or both cret's a really attractive proposition for economic
development and growth in our economy in the city. I mean,
if we want to be a culture of yes, then
this is an off the shelf option to kind of
demonstrate that.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
If you want to be a culture of yes. People
would suggest you went for the big bad option, which
is tetong Roa. This is advancing the course. I know,
pro key Park go, this is the future, this is modern,
this is uplifting, and they would say Eden Park is
a relic of the future. It's basically just adding to
someone you're playing lego, what do you say to that?
(05:50):
Because you can see the point behind that one, can't you.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
I can see the point behind that because you know,
I think nearly every Aucklander has really strong opinions on stadiums,
and they tend to break very evenly in my experience,
certainly with my friends and family. But yeah, and people
did want us to look at a central city option,
for sure, and I think they came back with something
that was fantastic, but there were some key issues in
terms of its feasibility that we ultimately just couldn't look past.
(06:18):
And so look, I respect different opinions, Yeah, look at
it's not just a finance thing, although they certainly had
sort of some financial challenges as well as did Eden Park.
But look, they have some technical issues down there in
terms of kind of reordering the city, and it's a
fairly small site getting people around it in terms of
the transport.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
There's a few different issues there.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
In terms of the technicalities of what they wanted to do. Look,
I back any development they can do down there. I
think it's as part of the city that really needs
to be unlocked, but it's got to be fit for
purpose as well.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Is this curtains? Do you think for a waterfront stadium?
This has been a pipe dream of Auckland is as
you said, for decades, and people are tired of consortiums
turning out promising everything and nothing ever happening. Is this
the death knell?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Look, I think one of the purposes of this exercises
to be really good clear where Auckland Council and by extension,
aucklands Land on this question.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
And so therefore you know who knows.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I mean, they can develop things, if they can make
it work, then there's nothing actually stopping them doing that.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
So in a way it's kind of not over.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
But I think it's a really clear stake in the
ground that we have a preferred partner that we want
to work with.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Tell us about the ownership of eden Park, not only
the stadium itself, but the ground it sits upon. This
has been problematic in the past. Does this represent future issues?
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Yeah, Look, it's always been a little bit of a
sticking point in all of these stadium debates. Right so,
Eden Park Trust technically not owned by the council. It's
owned by a charitable trust that has Crown appointees that's
got to each from Auckland Rugby Union in Auckland cricket
and so it's owned essentially by a private trust and
(08:00):
so that becomes a bit of an issue when we're
talking about public stadiums around the council table.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
So you know, we appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Same time, through this process, we've been working with their
team and I think we've got full confidence that they
can do this to the best of their ability, and
I think it's great expertise.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
There so it can be overcome this kind of piecemeal
ownership situation. You don't see that as being a roadblock
or something that sticks in the throat of the development
of this in the future because are you relying on
goodwill here?
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
Look, I'm not too concerned about kind of their ownership structure.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
I think we need to zoom out and be a
bit more visionary.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
And the fact is we've already got a stadium there
that we can redevelop to make it certainly a modern,
world class national stadium that can attract these big events.
I think it's sensible to look at utilizing it.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
And finally, our counselor, Shane Henderson thinks, as always for
your time, will will this be the national stadium of
New Zealand, just not of Auckland.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I mean Auckland produces over a third of the country's
GDP one point seven million people. We've got the market
here and we can scale up and really take on
the world.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
I think it's a great day for the city.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Right, So it's all go you basically you hit the
green light. That's happening, Eden Parker, is it And that's
what we're looking for in the future.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And so I may have said this before, but timescale
will when you're looking at the first one to be
complete and how long before the whole should.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
Be Yeah, Look, We've got some indicative time scales from
the Trust. They're looking at sort of a matter of
I'm trying to remember it's been a long council meeting,
but something like three to five years I think is
the indication. But that's going to be heavily dependent on finance,
so I think that is a very rough indication.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to news Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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