Alternative Wellington Stadium

“The Australian understands that one offer from Lendlease to cut costs was to make the stadium roughly the same standard as the Bankwest stadium at Parramatta, but the government and the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust are after a higher-standard stadium.“If any contractor doesn’t provide what the government’s asked for, we’ll look elsewhere and that’s what’s happened in this circumstance,” Ms Berejiklian said. “I’m absolutely confident; the timeline’s there for us to meet, the budget’s there for us to meet, there are other interested parties and I look forward to issuing a contract.“We want to make sure it’s world-class … within the budget and we look forward to having a contractor on board to meet those requirements.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/cost-and-delays-behind-stadium-build-dropout/news-story/4a028d26c43c376c5f58da0f5940b7ec

Understanding is that the contract was for demolition and construction with the construction price to be firmed up when the design was finished and with the contractor having the right to walk if the negotiations failed. Although it's not the way that things are usually done here the idea is that both parties share the risks and the government would pay the real cost of the real development.

Salford ground looks like just was the Nix need and would fit Hutt Rec ;)

Wouldn't want Kenilworth Road with its concrete so close to pitch and not much space to stands!

What's worse is visiting fans have to virtually walk through someones back yard to gain access to the "away end". I notice they've moved the TV cameras to the other side of the ground now. 

“The state government should consider a smaller stadium at Moore Park if it is unable to build its desired 45,000-seat venue within its budget, the opposition says. Sports Minister John Sidoti revealed last month that contractor Lendlease had not met "the government’s expectations" for its offer to build a stadium to replace the demolished Allianz Stadium at Moore Park. Although the government said before the March election that it had signed one contract with Lendlease to demolish the old stadium and build a new one in its place, it now says the contract was always split in two. The contract allows the government to select another builder. The remains of Allianz Stadium in Moore Park The remains of Allianz Stadium in Moore Park Brook Mitchell Labor’s sports spokeswoman, Lynda Volz, said Premier Gladys Berejiklian should be open to the idea of building a smaller stadium on the site, given the former Allianz Stadium so rarely sold out its 45,000-seat capacity. "She needs to start considering whether it is better to have a 30,000-seat stadium rather than a 45,000-seat stadium," Ms Voltz said. The size of a potential new stadium at Moore Park has been a consistent issue of contention in the long-running saga of the state government’s stadium policy. When former premier Mike Baird announced in September 2015 an intention to build a new rectangular stadium at Moore Park, he said it would have between 50,000 and 55,000 seats. Mr Baird subsequently reneged on the idea of a new Moore Park stadium – preferring to focus investment on improving ANZ Stadium at Olympic Park. But under former sports minister Stuart Ayres, the policy changed again under Ms Berejiklian as Premier – and the government committed to a 40,000- to 45,000-seat stadium at Moore Park for $729 million. Other ideas were floated during the development of this policy. For instance, the NRL and Football Federation Australia at one stage suggested the state government build a more modest 35,000-seat stadium at Moore Park. "We believe the best outcome for sport and taxpayers would be for the current Allianz Stadium to be knocked down and a new 35,000-seat, purpose-built rectangular stadium built in its place, similar to the new $360 million Western Sydney Stadium at Parramatta," NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg wrote to Ms Berejiklian in September 2017. However, the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, as well as the Australian Rugby Union, were fierce opponents of a smaller stadium at Moore Park. The state government has built a 30,000-seat stadium at Parramatta, Bankwest Stadium, for less than its budgeted $360 million. Asked whether the government would consider building a smaller stadium at Moore Park, Mr Sidoti said through a spokesman: "The NSW government is tendering proposals from construction firms to build the Sydney Football Stadium, on time and on budget for $729 million." One of the construction firms handpicked by the NSW government to bid to rebuild the venue, AW Edwards, last week said it would not be interested in completing the project.”

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/with-stadium-plan-in-flux-labor-proposes-a-smaller-moore-park-venue-20190805-p52e2l.html

Add On: $16200 a seat budget?  - Wgtn 20,000 at that rate = $324m

”The NSW Government have shortlisted Multiplex and John Holland for the construction of the new Sydney Football Stadium following a blowout with Lendlease last month.

Lendlease was axed for the reconstruction of the stadium shortly after The Australian revealed that Lendlease was chasing tens of millions of dollars more to finish the project when it told the government it was unable to lower the cost.

However Lendlease will continue to oversee stage one demolition work at Allianz Stadium, which is on track for completion by the end of the year.

Minister for Sport John Sidoti said that the delivery of the new Sydney Football Stadium remains on time and on budget.

Both organisations have been invited to participate in a competitive tender process to deliver stage two of the project.

John Sidoti said, “The winning bidder will be announced later this year, following the receipt of stage two planning approval and completion of the tender evaluation.”

“We know that if we want to continue attracting global events we need our stadiums to be the best in the world but the NSW public expects us to negotiate the best price."

“The NSW Government’s plan delivers the experience fans deserve. The refurbished Stadium Australia will move 46,000 seats up to 25 metres closer to the action to create more atmosphere,” Mr Sidoti said.”

https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/investment-strategy/property-news-and-insights/102516-nsw-government-shortlist-mutiplex-and-john-holland-after-lendlease-stadium-construction-reversal.html

Wellington Report 2019: Cake Tin too big, Basin too small, where's just right?

New partner for the Phoenix - NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS)

Season Launch - DD talked of a vision to be in Upper Hutt in 5-10 Years.

While I wouldn't really be a fan of having to travel to Upper Hutt for the games, I have to admit being impressed with what the Gillies Group did in putting together Brewtown and would have quite a bit of faith in them should work be done to put together an appropriate venue for the Nix on the NZCIS site.  

Saturday afternoon racing at Trentham, 10 min walk down the road for the Nix that night - could be a goer. 

As an Upper Huttian now I wholeheartedly support this proposal. Make it happen!

is that big chunk of empty land next to Brewtown an option?

build a boutique stadium and rename it "Phoenix City"

I was wondering if there was a way you could build a boutique stadium on land at the racecourse too, that's a huge tract of land

Upper Hutt is simply too far away from the main population areas.

Living in Porirua, that would be a complete pain in the bum to get to. Lower Hutt at a push would be acceptable.

Also the Hutt has about a third of the region's population so I'm not sure what you mean by main population areas. It's obviously not as central and convenient for everyone as the location of the current stadium but there's no way they're going to build a boutique stadium in Wellington City, the land just isn't there and it would cost way too much. Upper Hutt wouldn't be be significantly more inconvenient for more people than any other location in the wider region. Upper Hutt is also growing fast and has more room for new development than other areas so its proportion of the region's population is only going to increase

you either stay playing in a massive 3/4s empty oval bowl that's not fit for purpose or you shift to an appropriately sized and shaped ground which is a bit harder for some to get to. You can't have both. 

Obviously I'd prefer if it was Upper Hutt but if they built a boutique stadium in Porirua or Kapiti I'd still prefer that to the status quo

Lower Hutt has the population not upper Hutt. You can't expect the bulk of people to drive fourty five minutes to see a game. Longer on the train. It would double the length of time it takes for people on the Kapiti coast to take public transport.

And while the old Dunlop factory has a great craft beer scene there's nothing else to do in Upper Hutt.

As for the nothing to do here argument, Upper Hutt is gentrifying hard and more and more restaurants and pubs will come. Building a small stadium would fit with the councils plan to bring more people out here and that will help drive development. 

Genuine question though - seeing as Petone Rec is a no go, where else would you have it? Fraser Park and Hutt Park have both been suggested. Hutt Park might be alright, although it's miles away from trains. Fraser Park has been suggested but is just in the middle of suburban housing with absolutely nothing to do anywhere nearby. It's also at the northern end of Lower Hutt so you're arguments about upper hutt apply just as much . Neither of those is an obviously better option than Upper Hutt. Porirua or Kapiti just flips the problem around. I don't think there's any viable locations closer to Wellington city

Turf cricket out of the Basin, they can go to the cake tin since the reason the cake tin is crap is because they wanted to be able to do cricket in it twice a year.

Refactor the Basin for square field. Good opportunity to sort the reading out there at the same time.

Nairnville Park is massive. Simla Crescent station 2 mins walk away.

I was a Khandallah resident. I'd agree. Thought they liked all things boutique.

The good thing about the proposed site in Upper Hutt is that it's not currently a park of council green space so you wouldn't get that argument from residents. Also I think most of the land around it is owned by Defence who presumably wouldn't challenge and resource consent application

When I was a Khandallah resident there's no way I or any of my mates would have travelled to Upper Hutt to watch a football game.

I know that a stadium out here would be hard for people and some people wouldn't come to games but those games at the Hutt Rec showed how much better the game experience was for fans than the cake tin. That better experience would bring in people who might not otherwise come so I think that crowds would at least stay at the same level

I think if the stadium was top notch, eg retractable roof, rectangular, 'boutique', 10-12k capacity, good food options and atmosphere, most people would still go even if it was in UH. I don't think we'll ever get a Tifo mentality in Wellington, so the only having a good team play in a great, accessible stadium would be a good proposition.

As a Ngaio resident who often plays at Nairnville Park... Have you ever tried parking there when 3 games are on at the same time (150-200 people between players, supporters and other park users at the same time)? It's like Hong Kong at rush hour... It will never happen!

Be a very pleasant surprise if they amde the move to Upper Hutt. I still think Hutt Rec is begging for a redevelopment. Lot's of us travel from Upper Hutt to the cake Tin and don't complain about the journey. Why not build a smaller stadium next to the cake tin, we could call it the Sir Trevor Mallard stadium and he'd back us like he almost did with the Auckland Wharf proposal until the refused to name it after him.

Kilbirnie Park??

Create a sports hub. The Aquatic center and the indoor stadium are already out there. Its also close to the airport.

Would only work though if the council put a transport solution in place for something from railway station to the airport. 

Monorail or something. But that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

So nah maybe not.

If only there was a long term plan to redevelop the Centre Port area to cruise ships terminal, boutique stadium, restaurants and apartments. 

Move the logs to Seaview.

Like moving the rest of Wellington a couple of Kms north? Love the idea and think the location would be amazing, but I struggle to see any workable solution put in place to fix transport to and from Kilbirnie...

I reckon Anderson Park would be a great location for a boutique stadium..

By the time it got built people will be arriving by drone.

... I got confused for a moment and thought you said Appleton Park.

The problem is no one wants to fork out for a stadium. Whywould GWRC vote to build a stadium in Upper Hutt? Upper Hutt has a small rates base and low population. Getting the money is much more important than finding the right site.Also 12k stadium with a roof - name one currently in operation?

This one has 20k seats (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GelreDome).
There are also quite a few 10-15k capacity tennis with retractable roofs but obviously a larger pitch would entail more engineering challenges.
My point was that isld we found the political support and capital to build a 'boutique' stadium, it might as well have a roof given the wet Welly weather... It would be a big draw card in fact.

That stadium cost 75 million euro in 1998 though. Great stadium but not realistic for the Hutt - wasn't Morgan talking about building something for 40 million dollars?

Yeah cost is definitely a massive stumbling block, it's hard to see where the money would come from. But both the council and the club seem reasonably serious so presumably they have some ideas for funding. Stadiums are ridiculously expensive though. 

I think ensuring that it is built with some commercial premises combined into it would be a good idea, so there is more income than just stadium events. Maybe a rest home! There's enough of them appearing out here these days. Downside to that is that WU will feel at home when they visit

Very astute observation IMO.... look at Melbourne & Sydney they have their major sports facilities next to each other and over time it turns into a sports hub...

It's either going to be a cheap stadium, fairly minimal and small (10-12k), like the Petone proposal or a redevelopment of the Wellington Regional Stadium (currently Westpac, soon to be SkySports). Both are unlikely in the near to medium term (baring any major natural disaster), due to lack of $ (lots of council money is going into earthquake repairs and mitigation/LGWM) and/or adequate space (flat, transport links, community approval).