Sporting Venues in Auckland
New Zealand - Auckland - Christchurch - Queenstown - Wellington
The main sports venue in Auckland is the Eden Park, which hosts rugby as well as cricket matches, the former in winter and the latter in summer. Mt Smart Stadium formerly known as the Ericsson Stadium was built with the quarried remnants of the Mt Smart volcanic cone. It is situated about ten kilometers from the city center in the suburb of Penrose. It has been hosting football matches. The Western Springs Stadium is an entertainment venue in Auckland that consists of a natural amphitheater. In winter, the stadium is used for rugby matches and in summer for speedway races.
The course that is often used as a sporting venue in Auckland for the New Zealand Open and other professional tournaments is the Grange Golf Club. The course has 18 holes and a modern clubhouse where players can retire for a drink. The course is not particularly long, but the rigidity of the layout requires thoughtful play and accurate tee shots. If you have an aptitude for flying, check out the Manukau Airline Flying Club which is another popular sporting venue in Auckland. Home to many recreational and commercial pilots, the clubrooms are well-equipped for flight training, with professional flying instructors who work in the airlines.
Auckland City has been planning a world-class indoor arena for sports and entertainment since 1996. This is the venue that is projected to be the only indoor facility in the country that will enable Auckland to host sports and entertainment events of international stature. The Vector Arena is being developed under a private partnership with the Quay Park Management so as to create a sporting venue in the city. The municipal authorities have also undertaken extensive consultation with event promoters and sports organizations to ensure that the building would meet their requirements. In this way, sporting venues in Auckland are being promoted to contribute effectively to the economy.