The billionaire investors backing a $200 million to $300m stadium for Auckland FC and the council agency considering the ambitious plan never engaged, official documents show.
The newly released correspondence reveals fresh details about behind-the-scenes negotiations over the aborted stadium bid and revelations about why its rich backers decided to pull the pin.
American billionaires Bill Foley and Bennett Rosenthal, former All Black Ali Williams and entrepreneur Anna Mowbray, planned a 12,500-seat football stadium at Western Springs, accompanied by sporting, commercial and community facilities.
They pitched their vision for the “Auckland Arena” as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”, but bailed out shortly before Auckland councillors were due to approve the deal.
With a combined net worth of $9 billion, Foley and Rosenthal had no contact, in person or otherwise, with the council agency responsible for finding a new operator for Western Springs, according to documents released to the Herald under the Official Information Act.
Instead, Williams led discussions with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), the council agency responsible for stadiums. Even so, communication between the parties was minimal in the three months leading up to their split.
The documents show a “very preliminary idea” for the Auckland Arena was put to mayoral staff at Auckland FC’s launch on March 14 last year, and referred to TAU. Three months later, TAU released an expression of interest proposal to operate Western Springs Stadium.
The attempt by TAU to find a new operator for Western Springs has been messy and controversial. Moving speedway from its home of 97 years has angered supporters, and TAU has given the Ponsonby Rugby Club its marching orders.
In addition to the Auckland Arena proposal, Ponsonby Rugby partnered with a promoter to develop a permanent venue for music festivals and sporting facilities. A third option left room to explore alternative ideas.
After reviewing the proposals, the TAU board advanced the Auckland Arena plan to go to the council’s governing body for final approval on July 31.
The documents show that on June 27, Williams emailed TAU chief executive Nick Hill, reaffirming the project’s aim of delivering lasting value to Auckland and expressing pride in the work and its supporters.
He concluded: “With the above said, we are formally withdrawing our bid”.
In a follow-up email to Hill on July 2, Williams confirmed that the entire group was stepping away from the proposal, citing two reasons, one of which was redacted in the released documents.
“The process of building a new stadium on public land has proved to be more challenging regarding the aspect of timelines, approvals and council support than their initial assumptions and experience having done this before with other international councils,” Williams said.
Williams also told Hill that Auckland FC fans preferred staying at Go Media Stadium, where the club had built a strong fan experience. As a result, the need for a new stadium appeared less pressing than initially assumed.
When the Herald sought comment this week from Foley and Rosenthal through Auckland FC, and contacted Williams and Mowbray, no one wanted to comment.
The only comment from the consortium was a statement on July 8 saying: “Despite our deep commitment and experience, the process of delivering such a project on public land in Auckland has presented unique challenges. With the extended timelines and complexities, we have regretfully withdrawn our proposal.”
Foley, a confessed micro-manager, told the Herald in October last year he didn’t want to elaborate on reported plans for a stadium at Western Springs.
In an earlier interview that year, he said Auckland FC would be at Go Media (Mt Smart) for a few years. The club is contracted at Go Media for five seasons.
“The best solution would be to own a stadium, modest in size, 17,500 seats or so. If we could figure out some council land that might be available - but that won’t be immediate,” Foley said at the time.
Albany councillor John Watson was surprised to learn TAU had not sat down with the project’s financial backers.
“That there was no actual engagement with the owners beggars belief. It appears that the Auckland public have been led a merry dance over Western Springs by both TAU and the mayoral office.”
TAU acting chief executive Justine White said the consortium behind the Auckland Arena was represented on the ground by Williams.
While Foley and Rosenthal backed the proposal, they were based overseas and not directly party to the presentations or ongoing discussions, she said.
Any suggestion that TAU was misled or naive was incorrect and misrepresented the process, White said.
The consortium formally advised TAU of its decision to withdraw. As TAU had previously stated, the reasons and details behind the Auckland Arena consortium’s withdrawal remained the consortium’s to explain, she said.
TAU has delayed discussing the long-term future of Western Springs Stadium until next year with the council’s newly formed governing body.
Meanwhile, the Western Springs Speedway Association, which is seeking a judicial review of the council’s decision to move the motor sport to Waikaraka Park in Onehunga, is due to have the case heard on February 17 next year in the High Court at Auckland.
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