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\nSix60 perform at Eden Park in 2021.
\nPhoto: Supplied\/Six60\n<\/p>\n
At a restaurant with four decades of history near Eden Park in Auckland, the last few years take just a short sentence to sum up.<\/p>\n
“It’s been challenging, it’s been a rough ride,” Papa’s Italian Eatery owner Gail Hunter says.<\/p>\n
The government is probing local rules it thinks could be holding Eden Park back, saying it wants to see more big concerts.<\/p>\n
Auckland’s economy had a $32m injection from several of them last year, it says.<\/p>\n
The local Dominion Road Business Association said on Tuesday<\/a> that concerts are a boon for businesses around the stadium.<\/p>\n Gail Hunter says her restaurant has endured Covid, Anniversary Weekend flooding<\/a> and then the tight financial conditions particularly affecting our biggest city.<\/p>\n “So it has definitely been a difficult time to be in business, especially restaurants,” she said.<\/p>\n “Because we are the discretionary spending. If people are struggling as well, and our economy has been<\/a>, then we’re the first to be cut off in regards to people going out to dinner and celebrating.”<\/p>\n Hunter said the government investigation into whether there should be more concerts gives “hope and inspiration”.<\/p>\n “It’s just a really cool atmosphere but also, definitely financially, it puts a lot back into our business,” she said.<\/p>\n The sold-out concerts by Coldplay at Eden Park<\/a> were what sprang to mind.<\/p>\n “That was just such a great concert and the whole economy was buzzing from it, but all around us everyone was really happy”.<\/p>\n She was hoping for more nights just like it, but said the restrictions at Eden Park meant that had not happened.<\/p>\n The Restaurant Association said the sector was still under strain. Liquidation figures have jolted up almost 20 percent in a year, with doors shutting on about 2500 businesses.<\/p>\n It said boosting funding for tourism and major city events was critical.<\/p>\n Right now, Eden Park can host six artists playing a total 12 shows a year that can only happen on certain days of the week, within set times and durations.<\/p>\n A concert’s main act has to be between 7.30pm and 11pm on a weekday, and they also have to finish at the same time on weekends.<\/p>\n There can be no more than four concerts in a four-week period.<\/p>\n Local Auckland Councillor Julie Fairey said she had not had a lot of feedback from residents near Eden Park, at least not yet.<\/p>\n \nAuckland Councillor Julie Fairey. “I have a friend nearby who’s just outside the traffic management area and he’s the only constituent who’s got in touch with me so far, I’m sure there’s many more to come.<\/p>\n “He is like, ‘Bring it on, I am happy to have more concerts,’ but I know there will be people who live a lot closer who are really concerned about the impact for them.”<\/p>\n Fairey encouraged anyone with concerns to let their representative know.<\/p>\n “Part of the issue here is we do not really entirely know what the investigation process looks like,” she said.<\/p>\n “So at this point it is kind of an ‘okay, let’s see what the opportunities are’, there are some requirements for consultation and let’s see what that looks like.<\/p>\n “This is a new power the government brought in quite recently so this might be the first test of it, so we kind of have to see how that goes,” Fairey said.<\/p>\n Eden Park Neighbours’ Association chair Colin Lucas told Checkpoint that traffic management was the main issue.<\/p>\n He said residents had to deal with having the area locked down, with multiple roads closed off, and hundreds of houses locked in.<\/p>\n “If you’re trying to get around, it causes problems.”<\/p>\n The government says Eden Park, at 50,000 seats, is the country’s biggest major events stadium.<\/p>\n Christchurch’s stadium, Te Kaha, was racing toward completion and will have a capacity of 36,000 for concerts – and a roof.<\/p>\n \nColdplay at Eden Park. The district’s chamber of commerce says more concerts in Auckland, if they happen, should not be at the expense of the same happening in Christchurch.<\/p>\n “It should be an ‘and’ conversation,” Business Canterbury chief executive Leeann Watson said.<\/p>\n “Hopefully, if we’ve got some of these big international acts they can plan in the North Island and the South Island.<\/p>\n “What we should be trying to do is maximise the economic return by encouraging them to play in both Auckland, and Christchurch,” she said.<\/p>\n The government recently announced it would invest $40m to entice new international events<\/a>.<\/p>\n Watson pointed out the government had also invested significantly into Christchurch’s new facilities.<\/p>\n She said the ‘garden city’ should not be forgotten about as debate swirled on allowing more big-name concerts in Auckland.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: RNZ\/ The Detail – Sharon Brettkelly\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Tom Grut\n<\/p>\n