Features
Auckland Summer Concerts To Inject $23M
The growing southern summer tour and festivals lineup will inject NZ$23.8 million ($21.4 million) into Auckland’s economy, according to Regional Facilities Auckland.
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RFA secures and stages these events at its three venues,
The Eagles, on their first visit in 20 years, will play to 75,000 over two nights at Mt. Smart Stadium. Nearly 60 percent of the crowd will be from outside Auckland. This, according to the RFA, will generate NZ$10.5 million ($9.6 million) to the city’s economy – a 63 percent increase over last year.
These, and events such as Monster Jam, Taste of Auckland, Our:House, Cloud Festival and Nitro Circus are expected to draw 230,000, with nearly half being out-of-towners.
RFA chief executive Robert Domm said, “The extensive line-up illustrates the success of RFA’s strategy of increasing the utilisation of Auckland’s stadiums. We are turning them into cost-efficient multi-use venues to generate economic growth by securing top international events that attract visitors to the city.”
Last summer, the Eminem-headlined Rapture 2014, Bruce Springsteen and Big Day Out stadium concerts attracted more than 79,000 visitors from outside Auckland, contributing NZ$14.6 million ($13.4 million).
The Rolling Stones show in November 2014 drew 54 percent of outsider attendees and pumped in an extra NZ$5 million ($4.6 million) Domm pointed out RFA invested NZ$4 million ($3.6 million) over the past 12 months upgrading facilities at the Mt. Smart and Western Springs venues.
The development of a NZ$2.5 million ($2.3 million) grass terrace at Western Springs Stadium will add 14,500 to its capacity. RFA has also increased its seating capacity for the three stadiums with 12,000 portable seats.
Other major names heading to Auckland over summer are Rod Stewart, Drake, Roxette, Ed Sheeran and the Billy Idol/Cheap Trick/The Angels team-up. All these acts play