Island Life by David Slack

It may be hasty, but if it is anything like the Allianz Arena by Herzog & de Meuron then we could be on to a winner. The Herald image doesn't do it justice: see this image for a better look.

On the other hand, I hope that by "based on" they don't mean "slavishly copying". The architects will have to respond to NZ's climate, culture and the waterfront location (by providing it with active edges at ground level - stadia don't have to be mute fortresses), but if that's the level of design they're aspiring to, then I say go for it!

Crikey. That certainly is a vastly more appealing impresson..

I would still need to be persuaded that Gordon Moller is incorrect to argue that the footprint is too large.

Not to mention the questionable economics of ripping into the country's biggest port, and the undesirability of an edifice that walls people out in such a location. (Although on that last point, this new image might make me reconsider.)

I'm still puzzled that Carlaw Park doesn't seem to be under serious discussion. Cr Richard Simpson made a pretty good case for it, I though:

http://publicaddress.net/default,3599.sm

I've been enthusing about the Carlaw Park idea elsewhere, although there is one aspect that I suspect has been understated, and that is the opposition you may get from Parnell neighbours. Just ask the Port how active they can get.

I still think they should have expanded the Cake Tin!

I still think they should have expanded the Cake Tin!

Yes!

Sex miles? Hello? I live in the Hutt man! Think what you're trying to condemn me to.

Come away from the dark side Sarah...

Actually, we have to visit the Hutt this weekend, I was just saying to the wife "We'll have to be careful, we might run into family!"

To Aucklanders...I live above what used to be Athletic Park. Loved the place and could even sneak in for free at half time.

Hated the idea of the Cake Tin and the fact they were building it too small and knocking down the Millard Stand. Ok I'll admit it, I even got a little squittery eyed about the whole thing.

That said, the CT has proved me quite wrong. Yes there are problems, it is still too small, but, it is very accessable, has a great atmosphere and attendence at all sporting events there have been far higher than at the Park and other venues.

Just something to consider when looking at whether to ditch *your* ground in the burbs for something newer and dare I say it, better.

They CAN'T expand the Caketin. It turns out that was just a fanciful idea of one councillor. the engineers came along later (and in a much smaller story) saying it would be impossible to do.

The reason an innercity stadium in Auckland will fall down (erm, not literally) is cars. Studies all over the world have shown that sports fans will drive to sporting events no matter how good the public transport systems might be. So you get stadiums that have to be surrounded by carparks which (tends to) takes away from having interesting things like Tom suggested. And of course all of the cars will clog up Auckland like bacon in a fat man's arteries.

Check out New York's problem (finding a good link for this is hard) in trying to get a new stadium for the Olympics/NY Jets football team.

Oh, and they should not sink any more money into Eden Park either. It should probably go right beside the motorway on a train line at a point in the city where fans are going to scatter in various directions after the game...So perhaps above spaghetti junction?

Hadyn, well the Cake Tin is a 20 or 30 minute walk from the City. 5 minutes from the railway station. Car parking nearby is abysmal. Still packs in the crowds.

I am not saying your Waterfront option is a good idea, but equally, clinging on to history might not be so flash either.

Sorry, I missed your spag junction idea. Sounds good to me ...

Thanks, I like it too! Damn, should've put a copyright on it.

The Cake Tin is a unique one. Also you'll find that the crowds, much like the ones in Eden Park are streaming out of the ground and to their cars.

Of those who leave via the Fran Wilde walk (the big concrete walkway) only about a third go to the trains the rest disipate into the city to wherever they parked their cars.

Wellington could do better if the trains were upgraded. And traffic on game day is terrible on the northern side of the stadium. Oh and it could do with one or two more access points to the city.

And, yeah I don't support a waterfront stadium. Especially not an Auckland one. Ooh, what about one at the foot of the Bombays?

Wellington could do better if the trains were upgraded. And traffic on game day is terrible on the northern side of the stadium. Oh and it could do with one or two more access points to the city.

And add diner carriages, except with a more fluid approach to dining. That'd rock out for getting the muppets from their cars into the trains.

... and the $10- (or whatever) day passes on the trains would be much more marketable as a door. Of course, you'd also need to remove the carriage-end doors from those carriages. Ticket-bouncers! And now we know where the fat controller got his beer gut...

They CAN'T expand the Caketin.

Hadyn: any reference for the story about the engineers' report?

Tom: It was about a week after the first story but I have a feeling it was one of those Dom Post stories that didn't make it to Stuff. Having said that I didn't look for it too hard.

Greg: Free public transport for ticket holders is also a good one. Especially if you market it as a way that you can drink at the game without worrying about driving.

Um, have we seen where the Allianz Arena is?

Have a look

It's pretty much near nothing (though this looks like it wasn't quite finished when the photo was taken). The nearest thing to it seems to be a sewage treatment plant. On the north side: farmland. And it's sitting right beside a motorway and big one too.

Sorry Tom, still looking for that engineers story

Ha! This whole furore is just sweet revenge being taken by Wellington, and in particular Trevor the Duck, on Auckland being just too up itself for comfort.
How dare we hog so much of the meagre wealth of this socialist paradise, and how dare we be the region where all the business decisions are made, and how dare we host two America's Cups that had journalists from around the world exclaiming on the sheer beauty of our harbour.
"I'll fix em," thought Trev; "We'll sow seeds of doubt about Eden park - which might as well just be turned over to the apartmentistas anyway - and we'll drop a great wart on the waterfront."
No wait, even better, something that does look like a corn plaster or - somebody remarked on this before I did - an old fogey's haemorrhoid cushion. After all only a**eholes live in Auckland, right?

Ah well, looks like I've missed it (short of burrowing through Newstext). At least we're getting an indoor stadium next door.

We'll fix 'em we said, and gave you Shortland Street.

I'm no expert on the full machinations, but my understanding is that, as attractive as Carlaw Park is - and Richard Simpson makes a good case - its all simply too late. The land has been sold, and the development plans for retirement village and apartments is already well underway.

The cost of buying out the developers makes the option less appealing.

But I could be wrong.

When is the Prime Minister going to declare her self interest in pushing for no further developement at Eden Park?

Or some one in the media ask her " Are you the Prime Minister that lives really really close to Eden Park and probably not want alot of rugby fans walking past your house?

And then if a new stadium was to be built when was the last time anyone (a) got the gig finished on time : (b) had the job come in any where near on budget.

If this job is anything like the governments Kyoto Carbon Credits math the new stadium will cost 2 billion dollars.