New Zealand Rugby believes a new downtown stadium could be transformational for the city and region, while also having considerable long-term benefits for sporting codes, fans and athletes.
It feels a planned precinct-style development will attract significant private investment and help regenerate and reshape the city centre, and it is optimistic about the commercial possibilities and implications for revenue generation, both around the staging of major events and from more passive income streams.
As first revealed by the Herald in December, NZR has aligned itself with one of the three alternative options under consideration, along with Eden Park, as Auckland Council prepares to make a definitive strategic decision on the city’s future main stadium.
Such a proactive stance is an unprecedented step by NZR, given its historic relationship with Eden Park. Across decades of Auckland stadia debates, NZR has taken a neutral approach.
But not this time. NZR is backing the Quay Park (or Te Tōangaroa) bid, located on Ngāti Whātua land near Spark Arena at the eastern edge of the waterfront, and NZR chief executive Mark Robinson was part of the presentation made to a council working group last November by that consortium.
So why downtown? And why now?
In his first interview on the subject, Robinson emphasised the “huge respect” for Eden Park and its trust board, along with rugby’s extensive legacy at the Kingsland stadium.
“We want to continue to work with them really constructively,” Robinson told the Herald. “However, when opportunities like this emerge, with potential options that are quite transformational, we feel we should be in that conversation.
“In recent years, there has been some momentum about other stadium alternatives being put forward. When we thought about this, we felt rugby has an obligation to be taking its responsibility to the sport far wider and having a broader consideration than simply what happens in and around the field.
“When we think about opportunities for our fans, our athletes, this region and the entire country long-term, it starts to factor into the way our horizion works as the lead organisation for rugby in this country.”
He stressed that NZR is not looking to “own or operate a stadium” but is keen to explore a deeper relationship with more opportunities to leverage.
A significant appeal of the Quay Park bid was the precinct concept, which includes plans for up to four hotels (including an All Blacks-themed hotel), apartments, commercial buildings, retail and hospitality venues — along with the 50,000-capacity stadium.
Robinson sees it as an opportunity to “think more creatively about our brand and other wider commercial opportunities that sit within it”.
The embedded hotels, which would follow the lead of Twickenham, is the obvious one, but Robinson also mentions hospitality, conferencing and accommodation as “interesting options”.
Having a “blank canvas” could mean a new model for how major events work, rather than the standard hireage framework at existing venues in this country.
Robinson believes there are potential revenue gains compared with the one-off nature of tests in the city but is coy on specifics.
“It would be a really interesting proposition to bring value to the table with a potential partner in the stadium and think about how we could help each other to create value.”
Robinson added that the inner-city facility could attract major events and tournaments, including another Rugby World Cup.
“It would be a massive, positive step forward in terms of the ambition that New Zealand has,” said Robinson.
He also foresees a significantly enhanced game day experience for supporters, both with the atmosphere inside the stadium and the pre- and post-match options.
The stadium debate has been bubbling for years but could be reaching a crescendo. New A-League franchise Auckland FC turned down the chance to play at Eden Park, while the Warriors are happy at Mt Smart. The Blues recently extended their Eden Park deal for two more seasons but only after protracted internal discussions.
Robinson understands NZR is “only one voice” on this. Other sporting codes will also be among numerous other stakeholders involved, along with Ngāti Whātua, while the ultimate decision rests with local and central Government.
“Our role was to help articulate where rugby and NZR sat on this, that we are open-minded.”
The board are supportive and engaged, said Robinson, though they haven’t yet been required to take a formal position.
The Blues have previously supported the concept of a downtown stadium, while Auckland Rugby, despite being a trustee of Eden Park, staged some NPC matches away from the venue for the first time in 2023.
Robinson understands NZR’s move will be polarising, especially given the All Blacks haven’t lost at Eden Park since 1994.
“I played a fair amount of rugby at Eden Park. I was lucky to play first-class rugby, Super Rugby and international rugby there. As a former All Black, I understand the importance of winning and what that stadium has meant over a long period, so absolutely you give deep thought to it.”
But there are case studies of transitions elsewhere, from Athletic Park [Wellington] and Carisbrook [Dunedin] to Cardiff Arms Park [Wales].
“They are good examples of weighing up the benefits of legacy and past, and then thinking forward about where sport and entertainment is heading, where fans’ expectations are heading and where potential upside opportunity can be created that is far broader than the sport. It’s about the progress of a region and a country.”
A key aspect of the Quay Park proposal is that the vast majority of funding is expected to come from private backers, as everything in and around the precinct helps pay for the stadium, rather than the existing Auckland stadium strategy or the Eden Park 2.1 overhaul which are heavily reliant on council and government funding.
“That is critical and really relevant to ratepayers and taxpayers. How can we raise something really attractive for investment, for more private money to come into a project like this, with a significant benefit in terms of economic impact, both for construction and in the long term?”
Since Robinson began his tenure in 2020, there have been several flashpoints for NZR, from the Silver Lake investment to the ongoing governance review, and he knows this could be seen as another.
“We know rugby is on a pathway to evolving and changing, and needs to, and this is another example of that. We know through this time of change recently that it can bring about strong views. People are tied to things in the past and they care deeply about them. We understand that but all we want is a really good conversation about it.
“It can be challenging but we operate in an area where we need to be open to change.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
Mike Thorpe argues the numbers suggest that they are.