Stadium battle: Confirmed - the shortlist for transforming Western Springs

Thursday, 20 March 2025

Steven Adams is the latest big name to back the plan for Western Springs, joining Ali Williams, his wife, Anna Mowbray and billionaire backers.

Auckland officials have confirmed the shortlist of three plans for transforming the high-profile and highly sought-after Western Springs Stadium site.

The large block of city-owned land, less than 5km from downtown, has been home to speedway and Ponsonby Rugby Club for decades. Some of the biggest musical acts in the world, including the Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Elton John, as well as our own Six60, have performed there.

More recently, the adjacent “outer fields” have hosted festival-style concerts and standalone gigs.

Ponsonby Rugby’s lease expires in 2027, while Western Springs Speedway’s venue hire agreement expires this month.

The high-profile consortium behind new A-League club Auckland FC want to turn the site into a multi-sport and hospitality venue, with a football-style stadium as the centrepiece.

After Stuff published a flyover-style computer-generated video of their vision for the site yesterday, city officials swiftly confirmed the consortium’s interest and released details of the other bids being considered by Auckland Council.

High-profile concerts, football and Ponsonby Rugby are among the uses pitched for a revamped Western Springs Stadium site.

The Auckland FC team is fronted by Ali Williams and, as revealed by Stuff yesterday, NBA basketball superstar Steven Adams.

The proposal is also backed by entrepreneur Anna Mowbray - also Williams’ partner - and American billionaires Bill Foley and Bennett Rosenthal.

Rosenthal owns US Major League Soccer outfit LAFC and, like Adams, Mowbray and Williams, has a stake in Auckland FC, which is majority owned by Foley.

The flyover video shows a new 12,500-seat stadium beside an indoor facility that would contain hospitality outlets. It also shows outdoor and covered basketball courts and courts for padel - a racket sport of Mexican origin.

Steven Adams and Ali Williams are fronting the bid for the development with a centrepiece 12,500 capacity stadium.

The group championing the proposal say they have targeted football, basketball and padel because they are the fastest-growing sports in the world but lack infrastructure in Auckland.

The group’s proposal, seen by Stuff, says they will build this “at zero cost to the ratepayer”.

After confirming the interest of the Williams-Adams-fronted consortium, the Auckland Council body that owns the site, Tātaki Auckland, said Mayor Wayne Brown and city councillors were briefed on three proposals “in a confidential workshop” a week ago.

The proposals emerged from a formal “expressions of interest” process, which Tātaki Auckland said was subject to “commercial confidentiality”.

The other bids for the site are from CRS Records Limited and Ponsonby Rugby Club.

The future of Western Springs Stadium is uncertain with speedway’s lease set to expire.

CRS wants to transform the site, also using private funds, into a “premier live entertainment, concert and festival venue, with capability to host cultural events, as well as community sports”.

CRS is majority-owned by Campbell Smith, a high-profile music industry figure who manages and promotes major acts and events.

Ponsonby Rugby Club wants to “extend its current occupancy and expand operations into other sports, and enable the venue to host 50,000-capacity concerts – by redeveloping the site with a proposal to the council for further funding”.

Anna Mowbray has invested in Auckland FC and is part of the bid to build a multi-sport complex at Western Springs.

The fate of Western Springs is closely linked to Auckland’s wider stadium puzzle.

Tātaki Auckland’s statement said one of the applicants presented to councillors last week and the other two will present next week.

The council is expected to decide its preferred option in early May before asking for public feedback.

Tātaki Auckland chief executive Nick Hill says: “Aucklanders understandably have an emotional connection to Western Springs Stadium, given its memorable history as a concert and sporting venue.

“As owner-operator of the stadium on the council’s behalf, the time is right to ensure we consider what we can do to make the most of its future potential.”

The process puts Ponsonby Rugby head-to-head with the bid from former player Williams and co, which would require the club to move.

“Unfortunately the project is large,” said Williams. “For it to be the best it can be for the community, it must be purpose-built. We have proposed alternatives that we can see would work well for my old club, which we will help to support as everyone works through this change.”

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