NRL: Warriors plead for delay to stadium vote

The Warriors have appealed to the Auckland Council to defer a vote on the city's controversial stadium strategy. Photo / Getty Images.

The Warriors have appealed to the Auckland Council to defer a vote on the city's controversial stadium strategy, which is set to be confirmed later this week.

The Council are due to vote on the 10-year budget, which is expected to see them confirm the Regional Facilities Auckland plan that will see the Warriors move out of Mt Smart Stadium to North Harbour Stadium and Eden Park, speedway to relocate from Western Springs to Mt Smart and Western Springs to be turned into a cricket venue.

The Warriors are vehemently opposed to the plan, preferring to stay at their base at Mt Smart where they have been based since their inception in 1995. They have no interest in playing home games at North Harbour Stadium and have threatened to take a large number of home games to venues throughout the country including Hamilton, Rotorua and New Plymouth.

All councillors were sent a letter in which Warriors chairman Bill Wavish and managing director Jim Doyle implored councillors to postpone any decision on the RFA strategy to clear the way for a full review. The three-day budget meetings are due to begin tomorrow.

"We have made it clear through our own submission to the council in March and also in our letter sent to all councillors that the proposal to move us out of Mt Smart Stadium makes no sense at all," Doyle said.

"The RFA has a new CEO, I'm also new to my role and neither of us has been involved in the plans for the RFA's proposed use of the stadiums. "The Warriors, therefore, suggest this isn't the time to be going ahead with a major strategy on which there has been such limited consultation.

"Indeed, we believe it would be prudent to put the proposal to one side and for all parties involved (Auckland Council, RFA, ATEED, Warriors, speedway, rugby union and cricket) to reconvene and reconsider the best possible use of the city's stadiums.
"If the matter of our long-term future at Mt Smart isn't resolved satisfactorily, we would have no option but to consider venues outside Auckland.

"We will not be forced to leave Mt Smart at any point during our current lease which expires at the end of 2018. Furthermore, if the proposed RFA stadium strategy is supported, then we will actively encourage the incoming council to overturn the ill-conceived strategy prior to our lease expiring."