Three options put forth for future of North Harbour Stadium

The future of the troubled North Harbour Stadium precinct is being thrown open to the public.

The stadium has faced criticism over flagging attendance and use, including Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown recently calling it a "white elephant" that should be pulled down.

North Harbour Stadium is a 25,000-seat stadium opened in 1997 and is home to North Harbour Rugby and other clubs, but has faced less use than venues like Eden Park and Go Media Stadium Mount Smart.

Poor turf conditions also meant a Moana Pasifika game last week had to move to Hamilton because of player safety concerns.

As part of Brown's Long Term Plan proposal, part of the proposed consultation covers improvements to the North Harbour Stadium, with $33 million of investment over the next 10 years.

There are three options on the table as described on the council website.

The first is to keep things as they are and do essential maintenance over the next ten years using $33m over 10 years.

Option two is redevelop the precinct using the $33m in funding - which could result in the "deconstruction" of the stadium, described as similar to demolition but "but involves the careful dismantling and removing of building parts (such as fixtures, fittings and materials) without causing damage to materials".

The third option listed is to "change the operational management of the facility" so it gets used more, improving community access and overall efficiencies and reducing costs to the ratepayer. Another operator could be appointed to manage the stadium.

Deputy Chair Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Jennah Wootten is in charge of the stadiums across Auckland and told Checkpoint the council is looking at the stadium's future closely.

"None of those options include bowling it and getting rid of it.

"The North Harbour Stadium has been a wonderful asset to have in the Auckland region for some time but over the years the way in which consumers want to engage in sports and entertainment has changed.

"We also have a number of other stadium infrastructure across the region, so we've reached the point of needing to have a closer look at what the region needs for the future and how we can best ensure that the stadia we do have provide a really unique offering that will work."

There are multiple reasons the stadium has been neglected compared to its peers.

"I think there is an interesting sort of mental block around transport over the bridge ... the ease of getting to the North Harbour Stadium vs an Eden Park or a Mount Smart.

"You know, something like a Coldplay or a Pink, that's realistically only going to an Eden Park because of the size and the scale."

Wootten said she has had feedback that a smaller stadium around the 8000 to 10,000 seat level, with seating around all four sides and meeting space potential, "something more boutique like that would seem to have a greater demand."

The current stadium has a capacity of about 25,000.

There is no plan to build a covered stadium, as the cost would be "extraordinary, and in the fiscal climate we're in I don't think we would have budgets that extend that far".

If costs for reworking the stadium exceeded the $33m already set aside, other funding options such as public-private partnerships could be considered, or possibly selling off part of the North Harbour precinct as necessary.

The public needs to step forward and express their preference of the proposed plans by the 28 March deadline, Wootten said.

The location of the stadium cannot change, but its image could, she said.

"We're trying to look at what would be a unique offering for North Harbour Stadium. How could we make it unique in the context of what other infrastructure exists in Auckland so that rights holders and promoters are attracted to that for very specific reasons?

"If it was a more boutique size around that 8 to 10,000 I think it would have quite a unique proposition in the Auckland market."

Aucklanders can express their opinion by going to the council's Have Your Say website by 11.59pm on 28 March.