Photo: Photosport
An Auckland Councillor says shutting Western Springs speedway is the best decision for the city's economic growth.
On Wednesday, Auckland councillors voted 11-8 to spend $11 million upgrading Waikaraka Park in Onehunga which will now host the event from 2025.
One of those councillors, Kerrin Leoni, said Western Springs Speedway was costing ratepayers more than $1 million a year.
"I understand we have a community there that are passionate about maintaining the raceway there but we have to make decisions for 1.7 million people in our city, and we have to make the right decisions for them. I don't want to put their rates up and we have to make those financial decisions."
Leoni said the Western Springs Speedway arena will instead be used for concerts for up to 60,000 people, and this will generate more revenue for the city than speedway events.
Earlier, Speedway New Zealand said it was "blindsided" by a decision to move the speedway away from Auckland's Western Springs.
Speedway NZ on speedway leaving Western Springs
President Lani Thompson told Morning Report they supported the upgrade of Waikaraka Park but never agreed to close Western Springs.
"We were left in the dark... We have been left out of the loop completely so we're still trying to catch up."
While there were rumours the speedway would leave Western Springs, key stakeholders weren't consulted, Thompson said.
"Until you have it from officialdom, it's just rumour really and speculation."
She said they felt blind-sided about being shut out of "one of our oldest and dearest tracks".
Speedway New Zealand representatives met with Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown on Tuesday when it caught wind of the vote.
"It would appear that it is final, however we're still playing catchup to find out how this has all come about," Thompson said.
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