Rugby Park or new 'boutique' venue, what's best for the city's future?
“How many seats do you we need for rugby? We are not going to get a test [match]. Do we maintain a structure just for if we get a Highlanders game every two or three years?”
Is Rugby Park the best outdoor stadium option for Invercargill’s future? Or does a new “boutique” venue constructed elsewhere warrant more investigation?
Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark wants to be 100% certain that rugby folk view its long-term future at Rugby Park before carrying out significant work on the venue during the next 12 months.
As part of its long-term plan, the Invercargill City Council has set aside $4.9m to carry out deferred maintenance and strengthening work on Rugby Park. There is also a facility improvement to help turn Rugby Park into a multi-purpose venue.
Before boxing on with that investment Clark plans to meet with Rugby Southland representatives to ensure Rugby Park is actually the best long-term option for rugby.
“I’m just going to have some discussions asking; ‘have we got this right’?”
“I’m just going to have a talk to them before we start next year just to make sure we are not just throwing a band-aid over something.”
Clark did wonder if the creation of a new smaller “boutique” venue elsewhere could in fact be a better option, given the crowd numbers that now attend rugby games in Invercargill.
Rugby Park has a current ground capacity of about 18,000, although the average for home Stags games at the moment is about 3500.
Clark felt the development of a smaller venue at Surrey Park - possibly where the Pirates-Old Boys Rugby Club is based - could work well.
“How many seats do you we need for rugby? We are not going to get a test [match]. Do we maintain a structure just for if we get a Highlanders game every two or three years?”
A smaller venue with an increased atmosphere could actually be a boost for rugby, Clark felt.
New Zealand Rugby does have stadium requirements in place at the moment for the NPC which includes the need to have a capacity of 10,000 for round-robin games and 15,000 for finals.
Although there has been a desire from some provinces to move some home games away from bigger stadiums to smaller venues this year.
Clark added a potential new development would build on the Surrey Park “sporting hub” already in place, and a training facility could also be worked into the plan.
The money generated from any potential sale of the land that Rugby Park sits on could then be put towards such a development, he said.
“You would want to cost recover the two areas. So, whatever you sell Rugby Park for its money you would put into the new setup. We’ve already got the ground.”
Clark understood Rugby Park was valued at about $14m, although that included both buildings and land.
“We’ve got about $4m-$5m to do earthquake strengthening [at Rugby Park]. We’re happy to do that…. But I’d hate to throw money at it only to find out that they would prefer to be somewhere else.”
In 2021 consultants were enlisted and it was determined Rugby Park was the best option, in terms of an outdoor stadium for the city for the next 15 to 20 years. It was suggested work be carried out to help turn Rugby Park into a multi-use venue.
Clark is not convinced the venue will attract more users.
“I don’t see multiple-use. The ‘spaces and places’ work talked about it but who else realistically is going use it?”
“I think the old multi-use venue is a bit of a pipe dream, if I am honest.”
Rugby Southland CEO Steve Mitchell confirmed they planned to meet with Clark soon on the matter.
While he said there wasn’t much to report publicly at this point, he was confident crowd numbers would grow and Rugby Park was best set up to cater for that.
He pointed out that about 7000 people attended the Pack the Park Blair Vining charity fixture in 2020, which was followed by a Stags game.
He estimated the annual Southland-Otago fixture at Rugby Park next year would bring in about 6000 to Rugby Park.
Clark added that it was ultimately up to rugby folk to decide what they viewed as the best option for the future.
“We’ll talk to the people that are most affected by it and if they want to retain it because it’s quite iconic, well that’s great.”
Clark said if the status quo remained it was important to get the Rugby Southland staff back operating at Rugby Park soon after the required work is carried out.
Rugby Southland was forced out of its offices, under the grandstand at Rugby Park, in 2018 when toxic mold was found in the venue.
The Invercargill City Council is currently covering the costs of Rugby Southland’s office rental in central Invercargill while the Rugby Park situation is sorted.
Mitchell has previously stated publicly he wants all of Rugby Southland’s operations back at Rugby Park.
At the moment Rugby Southland’s commercial and community staff are based in leet St and its high-performance staff is based at ILT Stadium Southland.
Donovan Park, Rugby Park... How many more ‘park’ areas are going to go up for sale under Nobby Clark’s reign?
REALLY a bargain and great decision for ICC to have bought this RUGBY ground for $1million dollars for ratepayers a decade ago. 7 votes to 6 councillors opposed. $14 million budgeted for SEATING TOO don’t forget. Can someone please remind me how many millions ratepayers have spent on rugby park and Rugby Southland in the past 3 decades. Put it in $$$ please. How can this be justified. This city is short of a SMALL TIERED THEATRE. for smaller music and performances, the ICC currently does not own one sometimes rep house is accessed , or we sit on plastic chairs in the civic stage and single levels chairs put out on the floor of the Scottish hall . Parks department stripped of funding . It is indefensible the council and ratepayers disproportionately every half decade pump multi millions into a sole use RUGBY venue. Please don’t insult me by talking up it is anything other. Is this $4.9 million on deferred maintenance AND $14 million ( the top option of course) for seating. This totals 1/3-1/2 of the MUSEUM budget!!!