The debate over whether Auckland should have a stadium on its waterfront as proposed in '06 "has reignited," according to Maria Slade of STUFF. Auckland mayoral candidate Phil Goff said that Eden Park is not a longterm option for major sporting events and Auckland "needs to look at alternatives such as a waterfront stadium." National Rugby League side New Zealand Warriors Managing Dir Jim Doyle said that Auckland "should return" to its pre-Rugby World Cup 2011 plan of building a "waterfront stadium capable of hosting all the major sporting codes." Labour MP Goff said that Auckland "looked a gift horse in the mouth" when it turned down "the chance to construct a government-funded stadium on its waterfront." He added that in 10 to 15 years' time Eden Park would need major investment, "and it still had all the disadvantages of not being near enough to transport links and amenities," and of being in a residential neighborhood. Goff: "Eden Park as a long term option was never the right option, it wasn't in 2006 and it still isn't now." Business association Heart of the City "was enthusiastic about the idea" of a stadium in the Central Business District near transport, accommodation, retail and hospitality amenities. Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck said, "I'm delighted to see it's back on the table" (STUFF, 3/15). In Auckland, Wynne Gray reported Doyle "repeated his vision for sport in the city as the push for a multi-code, multi-purpose downtown hub gathered steam." He thought a stadium with a capacity between 30,000-40,000 "would be ideal" and would cost somewhere around NZ$600M ($396M) and take about four years to construct. That could be funded through appeals to the government and the sale of Eden Park and Mt. Smart while Doyle "was sure downtown retailers would wear a rates increase if 60,000 people were going past their shops each weekend." Doyle: "If Auckland had a smaller stadium and was sold out regularly, that is a sensible supply and demand model" (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 3/15).
BEST BET: In Auckland, Chris Rattue opined none of the Auckland football stadiums "come close to providing the fans with the the modern sporting experience." They are "incomplete, jerry-built, poorly designed, badly placed testaments to public policy gone badly wrong." The rest of the world was knocking down arenas like Eden Park decades ago. And "no self respecting footy city would have put up Mt Smart Stadium in the first place." Regional Facilities Auckland CEO Chris Brooks appears to be "doing his best to unlock the door." The "rest of us need to barge on through, as a city united by a dream" (NZ HERALD, 3/15).
