The backers of downtown Auckland stadium are continuing to try to win the hearts and minds of Aucklanders, releasing a picture of the proposed venue decked out in Christmas decorations.
Proposed stadium with Christmas theme. Photo: Supplied
The Auckland Waterfront Consortium, a group of businesses, wants the stadium to be built on Bledisloe Wharf within the next ten years saying it would be a gift for generations to come.
But Ports of Auckland, which owns the wharf, was pushing ahead with its plan to build a multi-storey carpark on the site in February or March next year.
The consortium's deputy chair, Michael Sage, said Aucklanders should contact their local councillors if they wanted the stadium.
"How do the people of Auckland feel about having a really ugly carpark built right on the front door step down on Bledisloe Wharf?" he said.
"I think most of them would be absolutely horrified."
The consortium maintained the stadium could be built with no cost to ratepayers but it would need Auckland Council to back it if it was to go ahead, Mr Sage said.
Ports of Auckland was owned by Auckland Council but run as an independent, arms length company.
"It is reasonable for a shareholder to express to the company it owns... its desire to not do something that is a blot on the landscape and potentially waste over $100 million," Mr Sage said.
If the carpark was built and the stadium got the go-ahead then the carpark would need to be demolished only five of six years after it was built, he said.
The consortium presented its vision to the council last month and said it wanted work to begin on a council-led feasibility study before Christmas.
However, the council was still mulling over idea and it was likely to be next year before it made any decision on its views.
