Ponsonby Rugby Club Chair Unsurprised by Collapse of Auckland Arena Deal

Rich-listers, including entrepreneur Anna Mowbray, her husband and former All Black Ali Williams, American businessman Bill Foley, and New Zealand NBA player Steven Adams, have withdrawn their proposal for the development of the Auckland Arena—a privately funded football-focused venue at Western Springs Stadium. The news came as a surprise to some, but not to Greg Edmonds, the chair of the Ponsonby Rugby Club, who had been a vocal supporter of an alternative proposal known as the Western Springs Bowl.

Edmonds expressed little surprise at the withdrawal, noting that the challenges of developing a private asset on public land were always going to be significant. He explained that a 100-year lease for such a project is a long-term commitment, and convincing public authorities of the viability and benefit of a private venture on public property can be an uphill battle.

"It wasn't really a surprise to us," Edmonds said. "Getting their proposal up on a piece of land that was publicly owned was always going to be a challenge. A hundred-year lease is a long time to have to look after an asset, so we always thought there was some risk that it might not actually get through to a conclusion."

He emphasized that the core issue was the tension between private interests and public ownership. "You've got a private professional sports club that wants to use a public asset for a private-use club. It's the challenge of convincing the governing body that would be the best use of an asset," Edmonds added.

Despite the withdrawal, Edmonds believes there is no need to restart the public consultation process. "I don't think they need to restart the process because it was a public, open process for expressions of interest. All of those that had an option for Western Springs Stadium have had that opportunity," he said.

Edmonds also stressed the importance of keeping the stadium in public hands. "Our proposal is about keeping that stadium in public hands and public use. It's in the best interest of the whole of Auckland, not just for rugby but for all rectangular sports," he explained.

The Western Springs Bowl proposal is now largely unopposed, though a slim majority during the public consultation period had expressed a preference to 'explore other ideas.' Tātaki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill confirmed that the agency, which had previously supported the Auckland Arena proposal, will no longer provide a recommendation to the governing body meeting on 31 July. The decision will be delayed until after this year's local government elections.

This development marks a significant shift in the future of Western Springs Stadium, which has long been a key venue for sports and community events in Auckland. With the collapse of the private arena proposal, the path forward appears to favor the Western Springs Bowl concept, which promises to maintain the stadium's role as a public asset serving a wide range of sports and community activities.