Green light for $12m Western Springs upgrade

Western Springs Speedway. Photo / Richard Robinson.

Auckland councillors have voted to proceed with a proposal for a $12 million upgrade of Western Springs for a new test cricket and concert venue.

Albany councillor John Watson attempted to remove $12 million from a new 10-year budget for the development, but this was rejected at a budget committee this morning.

He said the upgrade of Western Springs for a boutique international test cricket venue would create three international crickets grounds in Auckland. The other two were the main Eden Park ground and its smaller number two ground.

Mr Watson said in the past 10 years, Auckland had hosted just five cricket tests. That would equate to one game every two years at Western Springs at a cost of $12 million, of which Auckland Cricket would not contribute anything.

Robert Domm, the chief executive of Regional Facilities Auckland, said there was a need to restore Western Springs once speedway moved out. Of the $12 million cost, less than $3 million related to cricket costs

Western Springs would also be upgraded for concerts and other uses.

The $12 million figure was less than an earlier estimate of $20 million to $40 million to upgrade Western Springs, he said.

The upgrade of Western Springs is part of a stadium strategy that involves moving speedway to Mt Smart Stadium, the Warriors moving from Mt Smart to QBE Stadium at Albany and international cricket being played at Eden Park for one-day and 20/20 matches and at Western Springs for tests.

Councillor Cathy Casey said the upgrade of Western Springs for cricket would help the Eden Park Trust Board develop the number two ground for commercial buildings.