Mount Smart Stadium

Mount Smart Stadium
Former names	Ericsson Stadium (1995 – 2006)
Location	2 Beasley Avenue, Penrose, New Zealand
Coordinates	36°55′6″S 174°48′45″E / 36.91833°S 174.8125°E / -36.91833; 174.8125Coordinates: 36°55′6″S 174°48′45″E / 36.91833°S 174.8125°E / -36.91833; 174.8125
Broke ground	1965
Opened	1967
Owner	Auckland Council
Operator	Auckland Council
Surface	Grass
Capacity	Rugby League / Rugby union / Soccer: 30,000 Concerts: 47,000
Tenants
New Zealand Warriors (NRL) / (SL) (1995-present) Football Kingz (NSL) (1999-2004) Counties Manukau Rugby Union (ITM Cup) (2006-08) 1990 Commonwealth Games

Mt Smart Stadium, formerly Ericsson Stadium, is a stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the home ground of National Rugby League team, the New Zealand Warriors. Built within the quarried remnants of the Mount Smart volcanic cone, it is located 10 kilometres south of the city centre, in the suburb of Penrose.

History

The stadium hosted track and field events including the highly successful Pan Am series during the early 1980s as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1990 Commonwealth Games. It was where the New Zealand national football team (the All Whites) played all their home qualifying games for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. This was the first occasion that New Zealand had qualified for a FIFA World Cup and the event captured the imagination of the nation with large crowds packing the stadium. The Auckland Warriors' home ground record at the stadium is 32,174, who saw them play the Illawarra Steelers in Round 6 of the 1995 ARL season.^[1]

Ericsson Stadium hosted the final of the 1999 Rugby League Tri-nations series, which New Zealand lost 20-22.

The stadium is now owned by the Auckland Council, following the merger of Auckland's regional authorities.^[2]

Tenants

The South Stand at Mt Smart Stadium, shot from the northern end of the stadium. Warriors Open Day, February 2005.

It currently serves as the home ground for the New Zealand Warriors of the Australian National Rugby League. It is the former home of the Football Kingz of the Australian National Soccer League; however, its A-League successor, the now defunct New Zealand Knights, played on the other side of Waitemata Harbour at North Harbour Stadium.

The Athletics Ground (officially Mt Smart Stadium Number 2) hosts athletics meets, right down to Primary School Level. It also holds local rugby league matches and serves as the home ground for the Auckland franchise in the Bartercard Premiership.

Music

The capacity of the stadium for concerts is roughly 42,000 people.

Mt Smart Stadium is the Auckland venue of the Big Day Out music festival. It also has had Michael Jackson perform in the HIStory Tour for 2 concerts in November 1996 and U2 in the U2 360° Tour for 2 concerts in November 2010.

Recent developments

The Eastern Stand, built in 1995 for the Warriors' first season, was demolished at the conclusion of the 2003 National Rugby League season to make way for a new stand, with a roof, corporate and dining facilities, training facilities for the Warriors as well as offices for the team management, which was completed in late 2004.

In preparation for the 2006 U2 Vertigo Tour concerts, the North Stand was shifted to sit behind the South Stand, effectively doubling the size of the South Stand, leaving a hill at the North end. In 2010, in preparation for concerts by Bon Jovi and the U2 360° Tour, a large temporary stand was built on the northern hill to increase capacity of the venue to over 50,000 - up from approximately 42,000 in the 2006 concert configuration.

Naming rights

As of 12 July 2006, the stadium reverted to its original name, Mt Smart Stadium. In a press release, the Auckland Regional Council, owners of the stadium stated they had considered other offers, but felt they did not suit. Auckland Regional Council did not actively pursue a replacement sponsor.

Panoramic image of Mt Smart Stadium photographed in 2006.

References

1. ^ ONE Sport (2007-08-24). "Warriors sell-out crucial home game". tvnz.co.nz Sport (New Zealand). http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tvnz_smartphone_story_skin/1320515. Retrieved 2010-04-08. 
2. ^ "Regional Facilities". Auckland Council. 12 April 2011. http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/HowCouncilWorks/CCO/Pages/regional_facilities.aspx. 

External links

• Mount Smart Stadium Official Site
• Mount Smart Stadium at Austadiums