Stadium’s 5000 ‘temporary’ seats to be used once this year despite $50m ratepayer investment

Saturday, 7 March 2026

In 2021, Christchurch City Council approved an extra $50m to boost the stadium’s capacity from 25,000 seats to 30,000.

Christchurch City Council’s $50 million decision to build a bigger stadium was made with more visitor spending from four major events, each year, in mind.

This year, those budget-blowing 5000 temporary seats will be used once, for an All Blacks test.

In 2021, the council voted to build a 30,000-seat stadium after a petition with more than 24,000 signatures demanded a bigger venue. The decision added $50 million to the budget, bringing the total to $523 million at the time. The final spend on the stadium was $683m.

At the time, councillors repeatedly said “do it once and do it right”.

Five years later, it turns out the temporary seating must be built from scratch for each event by Canterbury Scaffolding using scaffolding and in-ground fixings, and takes an estimated 12 days to install.

New Zealand Rugby confirmed it will install the 5000 temporary seats for the All Blacks test against France in July, and will use the temporary seating “on a match-by-match basis”.

No other events have confirmed they will use the additional seating, including the Rugby League World Cup, next month’s opening Super Rugby Pacific “super round” when the space will be used as an exclusive hospitality spot, the Warriors NRL game, or the stadium’s Once In a Lifetime concert with Six60 and Synthony in May.

A packed public gallery at the council meeting in 2021 a during a council debate on the future size of Christchurch’s stadium.

Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said it’s too early to predict annual usage of the temporary stand.

“It is likely the temporary stand’s usage will fluctuate year-to-year dependant on the type of events booked at the venue and on this basis with the stadium yet to open and bookings for events still coming in, it is too early to speak to how many events will utilise the temporary stand,” she said.

The One New Zealand stadium at Te Kaha was designed with 25,000 permanent seats and capacity for 5000 temporary seats at the northern end.

In 2021, the 30,000 seat stadium was forecast to attract an extra 43,300 visitors to the city annually and result in $16m in visitor spending – $2.5m more than a 25,000-seat version. This was based on two major sporting events and two international concerts each year.

Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare says it is up to event organisers to decide if they want to install temporary seating.

Venue hirers – such as NZ Rugby or concert promoters – bear the installation costs and therefore decide whether or not to use the temporary stand.

Harvie-Teare said it’s a “predominantly a commercially driven decision with the cost to install a material investment for the venue hirer, normally offset by the additional ticket sales it allows”.

The Lancaster Field Club premium hospitality area at the stadium’s northern end accommodates 400 guests and will be used for Super Rugby, Canterbury rugby and Warriors NRL matches instead of temporary seating.

She would not disclose the cost of this installation, citing commercial sensitivity. She added that costs were not yet finalised, though building consent for the temporary stand design had been issued.

“Generally, the temporary stand will only be utilised for sporting fixtures,” Harvie-Teare said.

The temporary seating will not be used for Super Rugby matches at this stage. Instead, the northern end will house The Lancaster, a premium hospitality spot.

The 1000 sqm spot is located behind the goal posts on the field of play, and accommodates 400 guests with an exclusive food, beverage and seating area.

Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said temporary seats are “never as good as permanent seats” and the club has no plans to install them this year for round-robin games.

For concerts like the Six60 and Synthony opening show in May, it is where the stage will be positioned.

Even if Christchurch hosted a Super Rugby grand final it was unlikely the temporary seating would be installed because there would only be a one-week gap between semi-finals and the final – less than the necessary 12-day installation time, she said.

For concerts, the temporary stand could only be used if staging was in the middle of the field, such as Ed Sheeran’s round stage on his 2023 tour.

Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge said the club had no plans to install the seating this year for round-robin games, including the opening Super Rugby Round in April.

While demand for the opening weekend is strong and games could sell out, Mansbridge said it’s not as simple as adding 5000 seats and “hoping for the best”.

The Crusaders had temporary seats at Apollo Projects Stadium for years, and “temporary seats are never as good as permanent seats”.

“We’re not planning on using them for round-robin games at this stage. But we’ll respond to demand, and we'll respond to what fans tell us.”

For finals, it’s possible – but only if the Crusaders know well in advance they’re hosting.

“Sometimes you do know,” Mansbridge said. “There’s costs associated with installing the temporary seats. So that’s not something we would do if there wasn't a high probability of making a final.”

Christchurch City Council has been approached for comment.

The stadium opens with Super Rugby Round on April 24-26.