Plans to transform the historic Western Springs Stadium into a privately funded football venue have been officially withdrawn, leaving uncertainty over the site’s future and providing no guarantee of a speedway return.
The ambitious “Auckland Arena” proposal, backed by high-profile investors including Anna Mowbray, her husband and former All Black Ali Williams, American billionaire Bill Foley, and NBA star Steven Adams, has been axed just weeks before Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) was due to make a recommendation to Auckland Council.
TAU chief executive Nick Hill confirmed the withdrawal, stating that the group behind the Auckland Arena had withdrawn from the Expression of Interest (EOI) process.
“We were disappointed to hear of the withdrawal of the Auckland Arena proposal. The EOI evaluation panel and our board had deemed it to be the most positive solution for Auckland,” Hill told RNZ.
TAU had been preparing to present its recommendation on July 31, but this process has now been delayed until after Auckland’s local government elections in early October.
“Western Springs Stadium is a historic and valued asset with huge potential,” Hill added.
“We are committed to making a recommendation that will deliver positive outcomes and provide certainty for Aucklanders.”
No Clear Direction from Public Consultation
The withdrawal has cast further doubt on the venue’s future, which has been at the centre of a long-running debate since speedway was announced to move to Waikaraka Park.
While some supporters saw the collapse of the football proposal as a potential lifeline for speedway, council officials have cautioned against such assumptions.
This development is separate from the legal battle currently playing out in the High Court between Auckland Council and the Western Springs Speedway Association, led by the “Save Our Speedway” movement. That judicial review submission case is ongoing.
Public Feedback Offers No Clear Consensus — or Does It?
Council’s public consultation, which ran from 19 May to 15 June and attracted 14,894 submissions, showed a wide spread of opinion. TAU labelled the results as inconclusive, pointing out that no single option received a majority.
However, Auckland Councillor John Watson, a vocal critic of how the process has been handled, said the results tell a different story.
“The results are in for the Western Springs Stadium consultation… and Aucklanders have given the council an emphatic message,” Watson said.
“An overwhelming 49% of individual submitters support option 3, keeping things as they are and/or exploring other options. The largest overall percentage for any option came from the one that included the return of speedway to the stadium.”
Watson criticised both TAU and Mayor Wayne Brown, arguing they had misread public sentiment and failed to act transparently throughout the process.
“Despite the shameful shenanigans that have characterised this process over the last year, the results categorically reject the plans of the Mayor and CCO Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.
“Just as with North Harbour Stadium, both have shown themselves to be hopelessly out of touch with the Auckland public… and in particular the huge support for speedway at Western Springs.”
Of the total submissions, 33% of individuals supported exploring alternative options (which included reinstating speedway), 30% backed the Western Springs Bowl amphitheatre concept, and 21% preferred the Auckland Arena. Just 16% wanted the stadium to remain as is.
Feedback from organisations was similarly split — 33% each for exploring other options and the Bowl concept, 29% for the Arena, and just 3% for the status quo.
“Quite simply, they don’t have a public mandate to do what they wanted,” Watson added.
“The best thing they could do is get right out of it and leave it up to Ponsonby Rugby, the concert promoters… and Speedway to sort out a future that makes the most of this iconic venue, that’s what 79% of the people submitting supported between the three of them!”
Councillor Shane Henderson expressed frustration that the Auckland arena group withdrew just as the council was preparing to review the public’s feedback.
“It’s a disappointing outcome,” Henderson said.
“We’ve had a really difficult conversation with the public with some high emotion, and to find out on the morning of the release of feedback to councillors that one of the options we asked the public about has pulled out is frustrating. It affects the rest of the consultation.”
Henderson admitted that the sudden withdrawal might result in further consultation in the future.
Speedway’s Future Still in Limbo
Despite the collapse of the football proposal, there is no guarantee that Western Springs Speedway will return to the site. TAU’s updated recommendation, due after the elections, will determine the next steps. With no clear preference from public feedback, the path forward remains unclear.
While many speedway supporters continue to passionately advocate for a return to Western Springs, the broader discussion around the future of speedway in Auckland has also highlighted some concerning online behaviour.
Some individuals have taken their frustrations too far, targeting stakeholders with abuse, abusing others on social media and calling for a boycott of Waikaraka Park, a venue currently undergoing overdue upgrades. Such actions, while rooted in emotion, risk undermining the wider speedway community and its long-term prospects.
Ensuring a sustainable home for speedway in Auckland is a shared goal, whether that’s at Waikaraka Park or eventually back at Western Springs.
Constructive dialogue and unity within the sport are essential, and the less-than-preferable behaviour is not a good look for the Auckland or New Zealand Speedway community.
With the Auckland Arena proposal off the table and no decisive direction from public consultation, TAU will now spend the coming months reassessing the remaining options. Their advice will be delivered to the newly elected council early in the next term.
The fate of one of Auckland’s most iconic venues, and its long-standing speedway heritage, remains uncertain. A decision is not likely until 2026.
Header Image: Auckland Arena
The speedway should stay clearly great support for it to continue to many local and National government decisions are being made without gauging what the people want and individual councilors wanting to put there stamp on what happens to iconic venues.
The huge. cost of these stadiums being built seem to spiral out of control and will never be financially viable please leave the site as it is we don’t need more concrete idols this country is struggling enough now.
Obviously the topic will be top of the list come election time ,so all contenders please come prepared to face the public and state your feelings for our heritage