The Wellington Phoenix will continue to play their home games at Westpac Stadium in Wellington after Hutt City councillors voted against a proposal to build a 12,000 seat rectangular venue in Petone.
Hutt City mayor Ray Wallace said they took in to account the lack of public support for theboutique stadium, which would have required extensive funding from ratepayers, while Phoenix owners Welnix would have made a significant investment.
"As mayor I pride myself on listening to the people I represent; to me that's part of democracy. I also pride myself on considering opportunities that have the potential to bring economic benefit and push our city forward," Wallace said.
"We've heard from many different people during consultation on Petone Arena and the discussion has been robust. The feedback though has been overwhelmingly similar with the majority of those who've had their say, clearly against it."
Phoenix general manager David Dome said they would continue to focus on providing a good experience for fans at their existing venue.
"We'll accept the decision of the Hutt City Council and we'll continue to work with Westpac Stadium and the Wellington City Council who have been supportive throughout," Dome said.
The Phoenix will play English Premier League sides West Ham United and Newcastle during next month's Football United Tour.
The draw for next season's A-League is set to be announced tomorrow.
