Auckland Council’s Governing Body has concluded two confidential workshops where elected members heard proposals outlining two future uses for Western Springs Stadium (WSS).
At the second workshop on 26 March, councillors were briefed on a combined proposal from CRS Records Limited and Eccles Entertainment (CRS/EE) with Ponsonby Rugby Club (PRC). The two parties had originally submitted separate expressions of interest (EOIs) during a public process led by the stadium’s owner-operator, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU).
The EOI process closed in July 2024, with TAU’s independently monitored review process resulting in three proposals to be presented at confidential Governing Body workshops.
The combined CRS/EE and PRC proposal was presented during the second workshop. It includes the installation of a permanent full concert stage and surface in the main bowl, enhancing the terraced seating and the installation of improved hospitality infrastructure, enabling the site to become a premier live entertainment and festival venue. The proposal also sees a new Multisport Community Hub facility constructed that would be incorporated into a broadcast-capable 4,000- 5,000 capacity boutique stadium catering for a wide range of sports. In addition, the new facilities would provide hospitality spaces to support the concerts as well as meeting and operational spaces for the wider community.
The combined concept includes an arena with a maximum concert capacity of 50,000, but which can be scaled back to a boutique size as required. The joint proposal is based on at least a 30- year term, subject to commercial terms. In their presentation, CRS/EE proposed that they would invest at their own cost in the new concert infrastructure whilst PRC acknowledged the new clubroom would likely require some ratepayer investment.
The second workshop followed the 12 March session, where the Governing Body heard from representatives of MWF NewCo – the other viable future option identified through the EOI. The MWF NewCo proposal is for a privately-funded precinct that includes a brand new 12,500-seat stadium alongside community sport, high-performance, hospitality, med-tech and live entertainment facilities. The MWF NewCo proposal is based on a 50-year term with rights of extension.
TAU Chief Executive Nick Hill says: “I would like to thank the EOI applicants who presented their ideas to the Governing Body. Their efforts have led to bold, creative thinking about the future of one of Auckland’s most beloved live entertainment venues.
“Unlocking the future potential of this renowned venue is crucial to helping deliver Auckland Council’s goal of driving positive commercial outcomes across the council’s stadium portfolio, and great experiences for all Aucklanders.
“The TAU Board will now meet to make a recommendation to the Governing Body on a preferred proposal. In determining its preferred proposal, our board will take into account feedback from the Governing Body following the two confidential workshops,” says Nick Hill.
The Governing Body is expected to make a decision on 1 May whether to proceed to consultation, where Aucklanders will be invited to share their views.
No decision will be made until after consultation, with a decision likely in June or July 2025. On a separate decision on 27 March, the Governing Body also endorsed a staged redevelopment of Eden Park as the most feasible option for Auckland’s main stadium.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Western Springs Stadium
Western Springs Stadium is on land originally purchased by Auckland City Council in 1875 for use as a reservoir and pumpstation, and is now owned by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, which operates the venue under a trust deed. The site is used for various festivals and cultural events, but was significantly damaged by Auckland’s Anniversary Weekend 2023 flooding and required remediation (now completed). Ponsonby Rugby Club’s lease expires in 2027, while Western Springs Speedway’s venue hire agreement expires on Monday 31 March 2025. Last October, the Governing Body agreed to allocate $11 million of funding to upgrade speedway facilities at Waikaraka Park, allowing four-wheel racing to be consolidated there. The upgrade is due to be completed by October, in time for the new season in November 2025.
The Western Springs Stadium EOI process
On 7 June 2024, TAU released an open request for expressions of interest (EOI) relating to the future of Western Springs Stadium via GETS (the Government Electronic Tenders Service). An ‘open’ request differs from a ‘closed’ process in that any interested party is welcome to respond, whereas a closed process only invites a select group of applicants.
The EOI was open and publicly accessible for six weeks, closing on 19 July 2024. Palmerston North Speedway (the promoter of Western Springs Speedway) and Ponsonby Rugby Club – the two organisations with current occupancy at Western Springs Stadium – were informed in advance of the release of the EOI. Any party with a proposal for the stadium’s future was able to apply to the EOI.
Since the EOI application period closed, all proposals received before the deadline were evaluated against the assessment criteria outlined in the publicly-available EOI documents. Four proposals were received, three of these were identified as viable future options for consideration. Two of the three proposals decided to combine, meaning two were presented to the Governing Body. The two applicants which presented to the Governing Body after the Western Springs Stadium EOI process were (in alphabetical order)
CRS Records Limited, Eccles Entertainment Limited and Ponsonby Rugby Club
This proposal will see CRS Records Limited, Eccles Entertainment Limited and Ponsonby Rugby Club work together to deliver new and improved concert facilities alongside the expansion of operations for existing tenant, PRC.
The combined proposal will enhance Western Springs Stadium’s capabilities as a premier entertainment venue, whilst maintaining its status as a renowned music and community sports aucklandunlimited.com facility. The primary concert focus will be a ‘Hollywood Bowl’ style live music concert and festival venue. An evolution of the existing natural amphitheatre infrastructure – a 50,000-person capacity venue in the main bowl – would be complemented by updated infrastructure for Western Springs’ outer fields. The Multisport Community Hub sporting proposal will see Ponsonby Rugby Club renew its current lease and expand its operations in rugby across other codes such as basketball, netball, and touch. The installation of new facilities will create a 5,000-seat broadcast-capable boutique stadium, allowing the facility to scale to deliver boutique sport as required.
The proposal includes Ponsonby Rugby Club seeking Auckland Council funding to enable development of the new Multisport Community Hub with an estimated cost of $18-20 million.
MWF NewCo
The proposal focuses on using private funding to transform Western Springs Stadium into a state-ofthe-art multi-purpose venue that combines sport, culture and entertainment. Anchored by a new 12,500-seat football stadium and high-performance training facilities, the applicants say its precinct has been designed to cater to the community (training fields, basketball and padel courts, hospitality concourse, med tech facilities, and access to the wider park precinct), have concert capability (up to 25,000 capacity), and be a dedicated home ground for Auckland Football Club.