Not much good seems to come from east Auckland as far as I can see (as an outsider).
WanderingSheep wrote:Doloras wrote:Meant to ask you about this. Maybe it’s the cynic in me, but is this another one of this arsehole government pushing their RW nutter voters voice? Not much good seems to come from east Auckland as far as I can see (as an outsider).theprof wrote:
with the official designation that'll mean that they will get first choice of AB's games and likely AW's games, utterly ridiculous, this government fawning all over Auckland is sickening.
If only they WERE fawning all over Auckland, rather than trying to kneecap and hobble it (continually reducing intensified housing to cater to Epsom NIMBYs, cancelling light rail etc). I would never vote for Wayne Brown but at least he's pushing them on these issues. However, this announcement is a nothing burger: https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/04/13/city-deal-or-no-deal/
Eden Park is crap but it's privately owned so to an extent national and local govt have to make deals with it rather than dictate to it. I'm really not happy about apparently building a hotel on the No 2 ground and moving all first-class cricket to Colin Maiden on the other side of town.
coochiee wrote:
Auckland Cricket moving to Western Springs, plus developing that site as a test cricket ground seems the missed opportunity.
A better location than Colin Maiden?
EP no 2 is prime real estate, in a land shortage isthmus city. If some hotel development sees the EP Trust/Council and/or National Govt pocket a few million (or more) to then spend on EP's long term future, that seems a not bad result. Ask your average ratepayer or tax payer, who's not one of the 50 people turning up to watch a Ford Trophy/Plunket Shield match.
Whatever annual lease the hotel operator pays (if that is the financial model), will likely be higher than the Auckland cricket sausage sizzle and beer income stream.
There was a whole indepth months long feaso study, examining building that Quay Park stadium last year. It was all just sadly assessed, as too high risk to build that downtown edifice. The developer's plans based off some pretty flaky numbers. The Councillors who had access to all info, voted resoundingly to can Quay Park, and so like it or not Eden Park is the less risky long term answer.
coochiee wrote:
Auckland Cricket moving to Western Springs, plus developing that site as a test cricket ground seems the missed opportunity.
A better location than Colin Maiden?
EP no 2 is prime real estate, in a land shortage isthmus city. If some hotel development sees the EP Trust/Council and/or National Govt pocket a few million (or more) to then spend on EP's long term future, that seems a not bad result. Ask your average ratepayer or tax payer, who's not one of the 50 people turning up to watch a Ford Trophy/Plunket Shield match.
Whatever annual lease the hotel operator pays (if that is the financial model), will likely be higher than the Auckland cricket sausage sizzle and beer income stream.
There was a whole indepth months long feaso study, examining building that Quay Park stadium last year. It was all just sadly assessed, as too high risk to build that downtown edifice. The developer's plans based off some pretty flaky numbers. The Councillors who had access to all info, voted resoundingly to can Quay Park, and so like it or not Eden Park is the less risky long term anchor ground for the 09.
martinb wrote:
Where’s the train at Colin Maiden? Have nightmares about getting shuttled out there for an 8am lecture from the city.
We’ll see. Traditions have to start somewhere.
The only thing is that it makes ‘Auckland’ cricket less accessible to Auckland as a whole, but as with all the theorising before AFC, if it’s not anywhere nobody is going.
Putting a hotel with a massive car park there and making it a major concert venue is nutty. But that’s not novel.
🤷♂️
coochiee wrote:
I'm a cricket purist, and I don't think I've ever watched a BBL game, but hey 20:20 brings in the dosh. Test cricket is a red ink enterprise in NZ.
martinb wrote:chopah wrote:Which one is the proposed test venue?
here are some supporting documents re Colin Maiden:
https://mbsjra.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Colin-Maiden-Precinct-Masterplan-Final-19.pdf
https://akhockey.org.nz/colin-maiden-park-project-overview-and-faqs/
Doloras wrote:coochiee wrote:Jumping on to get in my usual moan about how they don't even try for women's test cricket, so Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine will never play a test. Even goddamn South Africa can afford one test match a season.
I'm a cricket purist, and I don't think I've ever watched a BBL game, but hey 20:20 brings in the dosh. Test cricket is a red ink enterprise in NZ.martinb wrote:On the PDF map, it's the oval marked Field 3, 4 and 5.chopah wrote:Which one is the proposed test venue?
here are some supporting documents re Colin Maiden:
https://mbsjra.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Colin-Maiden-Precinct-Masterplan-Final-19.pdf
https://akhockey.org.nz/colin-maiden-park-project-overview-and-faqs/
martinb wrote:
Do you think it could develop a bit of charm like Christchurch?
I remember when they played a one day game at Albany, pretty much in the car park outside North Harbour stadium!
It’s not an area I know that well. I remember playing cricket behind the stands and in the tunnels of Eden Park.
As long as a 14 year old can hop on the train or busway and get there easily enough, and there’s plenty of space for the kids to play, but still be part of the atmosphere. It’d be cool to have something of a half size retro score board. Too many screens!
Too much to hope for a test match resurgence? Perhaps…
And yeh- East Auckland is a bit of an unknown to me, but it’s certainly a place of much more variety than Ponsonby/Parnell/Remuera and the anti-density villains. There’s Cornwall Park and Dannemora and the bays…and that Great South Road ( the defensive barrier against attack from the Waikato) and of course the one time national champs of Ellerslie! A team with Payne, Just, McCowatt and doubtless others…It’s not all wealth, though the removal of public housing is helping segregate things a bit more comfortably for some people in some places…Eastern Line across the bay is pretty. Sylvia Park for your movies and shopping. Give it a tour next time you come up from Welly for a derby.
Actually I think there’s a Manukau harbour to Hauraki gulf walkway too, that might be boardwalked some of the way? Haven’t done that one. Plenty of history.
Used to be a nice Japanese place next to the Lido cinema in Epsom. Apart from Tanuki’s cave and friends and the original Ken on K Rd, it’s one of my favourite kiwi izakayas. They used to do that whole welcome chant thing and had a drum. Assuming it’s still there.