Sports stadium shuffle: Mayor calls for calm

A number of sports have cited costs associated with Eden Park (right) as an issue. The Warriors have opted to move to Albany's North Shore Stadium (left). Photo / NZ Herald

Auckland Mayor Len Brown has had a change of heart about giving the public a say on a new stadium strategy for Auckland that has seen the Warriors being told to go to QBE Stadium in Albany.

Mr Brown voted in July against public consultation on the stadium strategy as part of a new 10-year budget process.

Following revelations by the Herald that the Warriors had been told they must leave Mt Smart Stadium when their lease expires in 2018 and angry words from club patron Sir Peter Leitch, Mr Brown interrupted a holiday in Europe today to call for calm.

The decision to force the Warriors out of Mt Smart is a "declaration of war", Sir Peter said at the weekend.

"The council are in for a fight. We'll be rallying our troops," said the club's biggest fan.

In a mayoral statement, Mr Brown promised Aucklanders "extensive consultation" on any proposals as part of the budget process.

"People need to pause, consider all the issues and involve themselves in the very long discussion Aucklanders are about to have as part of the 10-year budget process.

"No final decisions have been made, and we are many months away from reaching that stage.

"The proposals released by Regional Facilities Auckland last week were simply an indication of where Regional Facilities' thinking has got to, at this stage in what is a long process," Mr Brown said.

Last week, Regional Facilities chief executive Robert Domm told the Herald the council had "given us the green light to start drilling down into the detail and start negotiating with people".

He was referring to the council body's $30 million scheme that would see QBE Stadium become the primary venue for league, soccer and some rugby matches likely to attract fewer than 25,000 spectators.

Eden Park has been left to fend for itself after rejecting cost-cutting proposals Regional Facilities says would allow it to pay back a $50 million debt underwritten by the city's ratepayers.

The council consulted on the original stadium strategy in last year's budget after voting 11-7 in September 2012 to undertake community consultation. Mr Brown was absent for that vote.

That strategy recommended the Warriors move to Eden Park, which would become the home of all big rugby, league and soccer matches.

One-day and T20 cricket matches would continue to be played at Eden Park, but test cricket would replace speedway at Western Springs.

A total of 1069 submissions were made on the stadium plan, which drew 21.5 per cent support and 46.9 per cent opposition; 31.6 per cent of respondents were unsure of what they thought.

Regional Facilities took the results of the consultation to proceed with its latest plans, which gained board approval in August.

In July, the regional strategy and policy committee voted 10-8 for an amendment from Orakei councillor Cameron Brewer for the stadium strategy options forming part of the 10-year budget consultation.

Mr Brewer said that with his back against the wall, Mr Brown was now suddenly keen to encourage people to have a say.

"The mayor is now making out it is his idea to put it out there in the 10-year budget, but it was my successful amendment that will ensure that the costs of Regional Facilities preferred options will now be publicly highlighted for feedback and not buried," said Mr Brewer.

Today, Mr Brown said: "I intend to enter into these discussions with an entirely open mind, and I would encourage all councillors to take the same approach."