Eden Park’s CEO and local businesses have backed the Prime Minister’s call for unlimited concerts at the Auckland stadium, but the city’s mayor, Wayne Brown, says it is not a priority for the council.
In his State of the Nation speech yesterday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Auckland Council should open up Eden Park to unlimited concerts.
“Kiwis spend thousands flying across the Tasman to see massive concerts, go out to bars and restaurants, and boost the Australian economy when, back home, Eden Park sits empty because of council event rules.”
A ruling by Auckland Council in November approved Eden Park’s request to double the number of concerts to 12 from the six it was first permitted to host in 2021.
“Now, in fairness, the council has increased the limit, but I think they should seriously consider abolishing it completely,” said Luxon.
“There’s always a reason to say no, but if we keep saying no, we’ll keep going nowhere.
“We need larger ports. We need more concerts.”
Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner said the stadium was a “strategic asset for New Zealand and a community asset for Auckland”.
“Enabling us to hold concerts is critical to our financial model but also critical for Auckland and New Zealand.”
He said scrapping the concert limitation would not mean 365 days a year of concert activity.
“There probably isn’t, or there’s very few businesses that operate under the constraints that Eden Park currently operates under.”
Kingsland Social director Phil Clark said on nights when events were on, nearly every bar or restaurant in the area would hit capacity.
“People will desperately try to get into the restaurant, find a chair. It’s just an incredible impact on the area.”
Eden Park Residents Association spokesperson Shona Tagg said locals would be “very excited” by the prospect of no limitations on concerts.
“They’re forever telling us that Eden Park should be used more. It brings an amazing atmosphere and vibrancy that we ike.”
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said scrapping the 12-concert limit was not a priority for the council.
“We just doubled it after years, but it’s a democracy, you can’t just force more rock bands on an area which has had a sports field.”
