Phoenix win 3 – 1 in extra time. 35,000 there. Cricket, rugby in last couple of weeks. Sports work together.
Brilliant transport links. Massive aftermatches within 1k walk.
Major economic and social impact.
Tell me again why jafas didn’t want one. The main excuse at the time was that they needed space to park imported cars.
To be honest the thing you should really focus on is the wellington transport. It doesn’t matter if there was a stadium on the waterfront, Auckland’s rail system would still be as horrible as it is today.
I’m unsure as to how the government thinks this city is going to cope with the rugby world cup, on a system which had 405 signal failures in the last year (http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/d/6/0/QWA_00676_2010-676-2010-David-Shearer-to-the-Minister-of-Transport.htm) and has a 38% punctuality rate (thats an arrival time within 5minutes of the time posted) along the western line. http://transportblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/jan-figures.jpg
This city can’t begin to think of itself as a first class city when it has such a disgraceful public transport system, doesnt help that Mr Minister of Everything Joyce has reduced the amount of money NZTA can spend on public transport in favour of his idiotic holiday highway. http://jarbury.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/gps-3year-copy.jpg
Reading Joshua can be bad for the blood pressure. Great venue, but blocking Auckland’s prime waterfront is hardly the same as the caketin nestling near Wellington’s railyards. Richard Simpson’s Carlaw Park alternative seemed to have merit.
Yeah its is by far and away the best stadium. You would have thought the minister of auckland issues would have wanted it and would have actually supported it? maybe she was too busy to realise it was going in her electorate?
get us a rail system AT LEAST as good as wellington and then we can talk about hosting events….
But Sacha, when going from Princes Wharf to Mechanics Bay you don’t get to see the water as it is now. There’s stacks of containers and a new cement storage building, not to mention the car park that is being built on the other side of the road.
I do agree though that Carlaw Park would have been a good option. All too late now though…
I have to agree – better rail .
Simple answer to your question Trevor, the cost, more than $1 billion I recall you were trying to throw at that, plus it would have been an eye-sore, and the Ports of Auckland weren’t going to shift and if you spent it on that then Michael wouldn’t have been able to buy a clapped out system for way over the mark and you wouldn’t have had the necessary diversion that Labour needed at the time.
oops missed the word rail just before system
Went to Eden Park for the cricket, cramped, nil parking, depressing urban decay, poor transport, poor access, ignorant staff, ludicrous prices for substandard food.
If it’s supposed to be the setting for the crowning glory of the World Cup, we’re in BIG trouble. Noone from overseas gives a toss if it’s the spiritual home or whatever crap being spun, they just care about getting to and watching the game, neither of which are enjoyable experiences at Eden Park
@ blowhole – it has gone but for the record $750m inc passenger terminal. Not sure either of us is the expert on eyesores but I’m pretty sure we could have got something to rival Sydney. the rest of your comment is off thread. You aren’t on Gotit now.
Trevor – You forgot the two sold out AC/DC days. Any reason why the rest of the country, even Hamilton & the bays crowd prefer to come here rather than Western Springs?
Bring back the Nissan Mobil 500!!!
Well, I though the waterfront stadium was a great idea – especially if it came with the added bonus of getting rid of that bloody nuisance called Eden Park. That stadium is in totally the wrong place – it’s a residential area for christ’s sake. Roads are jammed, parking is non-existent and that’s before you put anything on at the actual stadium.
I also thought doing up North Shore Stadium and knocking down Eden Park was a great idea if we didn’t get the waterfront stadium.
Actually, just knocking down Eden Park is a great idea.
PS, we have far too many stadiums in Auckland.
“The main excuse at the time was that they needed space to park imported cars.”
what an insulting thing to say. I had thought that Auck local govt was to blame for not having that stadium balance deleted. Neil if you can’t stop personal abuse then you will be banned again. Remember this is not Kiwiblog or Gotit. Trevor
Too many rugby stadiums in Auckland, not enough of everything else.
You forgot to mention that Wellington has a world class cricket oval, Auckland has nothing.
How about we get test cricket back to Auckland and build a proper oval.
When the stadium was turned down, I predicited that in 10 years Aucklanders would complain that the city missed its chance to get a great central stadium at a low price. And as for the complaints that the stadium would be an eyesore, come on. The stadium was going to replace a view of shipping containers – hardly an iconic Kiwiana scene.
If you want to insult Aucklanders then expect some reaction. Judging for your remarks maybe the stadium could have been better promoted by someone else.
Trevor,
Looks like I’ve got to be the one to say that while you’re right about the comparisons as far as North Island stadia go, you’re missing out the best and currently biggest in the country – our fine Lancaster Park.
Just as close to the party areas as the Caketin, sits on the main rail line should we ever get sensible about PT, and it’s capacity is much more than the capital’s. It’ll have a major upgrade for foot traffic by 2011.
NZ’s got two great venues. Pity about all the rest.
Every time I see a cricket match at Eden Park I cringe. It sums up Auckland’s mess pretty well I think.
@ Mallard – I know that this is your blog, but you would not allow post past moderation if members of the right were using insulting names at other posters or MP’s – yet you are happy to insult them using names like blowhole
term of endearment and for the balance tell the truth. Trevor
It would be nice if you applied the same standards to yourself.
Very high but simple standards which I know you have trouble understanding. If you don’t like it get lost. Win win really. Average quality of comment goes up and you don’t have to do your faux snag act. Trevor
Trevor i would have thought that as a senior MP you could rise above calling people names.
Where exactly was I of topic, you are talking about a stadium that you tried to hawk around Auckland, and I suggested reason I thought as to why no-one wanted you stadium.
I would appreciate some consistency in your moderation. My last several posts have explicitly followed your draconian rules.
If you want to call me blowhole then do so at my blog where derogatory comments are welcome. If you don’t want to be called the h-word then i suggest you follow your own blog rules.
Term of endearment Cameron. Thanks for your invitation to comment on Whaleoil but unlikely to be taken up. There are a couple of other right wing blogs where I get the general idea of where your friends are coming from. Trevor
Brilliant transport links…
…they needed space to park imported cars
There wasn’t a free carpark in the northern half of Wellington city during the game. That say’s a lot about the quality of the transport links, unless you were talking exclusively about the massive log-jam of taxi’s down Thorndon Quay?
Lots of taxis before and after game cos lots of people are responsible drinkers and we all know that it clears much faster than any similar crowd in Auckland. Btw parks in Hill St round corner from backbencher 90 min before kickoff.
harden up Trevor, this is the rough and tumble of politics. You used to be hard and you run from me?
Yay for Wellington. I wonder if our developing stadium in Dunedin will have the same effect…..Hmmmm.
harpooning blowholes gets boring – been doing a bit of facebook recently and found that penguin and Kate provided more rational view from the right and therefore better use of time.
@Trevor…. Congats on putting blowhole in his place, He is nothing but a blogger of double standards and low integrity.
Re the stadium in Auckland, didnt you only give Auckland a short period to decide on such a large expenditure?
Pretty short period – expenditure was from central govt.
Trevor, I have to say I believe Local Government, Mr Hide and National hijacked that whole thing (I am paranoid though – wink). I am an Aucklander, everyone I spoke with about it at the time wanted it, from my tertiary students to my very right wing family members. Most were derogatory about Eden Park and thought it should be sold and developed to contribute to the new stadium. All are sports fans to some extent or other. The fact it was coming from central govt coffers was MOST welcome.
The fancy warehouse idea of John Key for party central (following his scouts reports on Euro 2008 and world cup 2006) is a joke and a waste of money. Yet again National comes up with nothing new just a rort for its mates to build something and a party tent for the other mates.
A lasting landmark with a practical purpose… surely it would have prompted some movement on Auckland’s transport system too?
Trevor, I seem to recall Fletchers saying they did not know much it would cost to build the platform over the warves, and even if it was possible but they were willing to give it a go in exchange for govt. (endless) funding.
We have a good stadium in auckland, in albany. That is where you election bride money should have been proposed. It has motorway and bus connections, loads of land around and no residential issues.
Auckland is a very different city to wellington, both in geography and people.
Fletchers did make some negative comments until they looked more carefully. Albany didn’t work for a number of reasons, low quality base, traffic clash for Friday night events, distance for multi purpose use, the fact that you couldn’t use it for passenger terminal, distance to pre and after match facilities inter alia from the top of my head. It was 4th option behind waterfront, carlaw, eden options.
I thought it was an early sign of Key – remember he spoke supportively of the waterfront option in his closed meetings but went neutral in the media.
Trevor, so was Carlaw actually considered higher than Eden Park?
sweetd – you’ve obviously never tried to get to Albany from the Auckland side on a Friday night? To beat the traffic you have to leave the Auckland side before 4pm. Most people are still working.
The Hurricanes v Blues game was a prime example of why this stadium cannot be used on Friday.
Caketin yesterday was able to give sweeping views, and this included the water. No tornadoes. IF Auckland had a waterfront stadium imagine the panoramic views the cameras could send throughout the world, the water, yachts, north head, rangitoto, other islands… great publicity.
Dominion Rd is a nightmare just about all day long these days,peak is worst. It will be even more of a nightmare come 2011. I shudder to think what this entire area will be like, and with so many families living nearby. Trying to get kids to activities school etc in and out… We’re not London, with an undeground system to try to give easy access. When Eden Park was built it was on the outskirts of Auckland, with good reason. It’s time has passed. It has been so renovated it is no longer anything more than a postage stamp for cricket. Time passed and Labour, at least gave us an option.