Rugby League: Time ticking for a new Auckland stadium

The Warriors were supposed to be out of Mt Smart Stadium by now. Photo / Getty Images

It's hard to imagine, but Simon Mannering's farewell game at Mt Smart a month ago was also supposed to be the Warriors' final outing at their Penrose venue.

Consider that for a moment.

Under the strategy pursued by Regional Facilities Auckland since 2012, the Warriors were meant to relocate at the end of their lease, which originally expired after the 2018 NRL season.

The original plan was Eden Park, although QBE Stadium in Albany was also floated as a possible long-term home of the club.

Thankfully, neither came to fruition. Moving to the North Shore would have been a disaster for the club, and it's hard to see how a switch to Eden Park would have been positive.

Spectators are a long way from the action, which makes it hard to create an intimidating atmosphere, while the commercial arrangements at the Kingsland venue aren't as beneficial.

The Warriors signed a new 10-year lease midway through the 2016 season, after months of lobbying by former CEO Jim Doyle and the club to the Auckland Council and RFA.

That gives them security in the medium term but what happens next?

The Warriors are the key players, along with the Blues, in the stadium decision for Auckland.

That doesn't seem particularly good news for Eden Park, as both franchises have made it clear, privately if not publicly, of their support for a downtown venue.

On the surface, it seems to be the logical option. Opt for a new, rectangular venue in central Auckland, which could regenerate the heart of the city, and provide the opportunity for an entire stadium precinct featuring shops, restaurants, bars and hotels.

That's what Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane have done, with spectacular results, and it's what Sydney is planning to do.

The other option is to choose to keep pouring millions, decade after decade, into the upkeep, maintenance and refurbishment of a dearly loved, historical stadium that is unfortunately the wrong shape, the wrong size and in the wrong place.

Eden Park had one of its busiest years in 2017, with two Lions tests, another Lions match against the Blues, the NRL Nines and the World Masters Games and still couldn't make a profit after depreciation costs were taken into account.

It means the portents aren't great for the future, although the idea to make the stadium rectangular by moving the stands has also been raised.

Of course, the potential price tag of a new downtown facility is the stumbling block.

With an estimated cost of between $900 million and $1.5 billion, where exactly is the money going to come from?

It seems hefty but not so much if you amortise it over 50 years or more.

There are also creative ways, if the will is there. As an example, the Perth stadium was funded with a mix of private and public funding.

Time is ticking.