Auckland plans sports complex

Press, 18 June 1980, Page 11

Auckland plans sports complex

PA ' Auckland The Auckland ~ Regional Authority has < unveiled plans for a $25 million sports and recreation complex at Mount Smart stadium. ' *■ ■ / - The plan calls for improvements to the present athletics stadium, to include a new grandstand at a cost of s2milliori, improvements of the stadium surrounds with car-parks, a warm-up track and secondary soccer fields at a cost of $2.5 million, an indoor stadium with a capacity of 15,000 spectators at a cost of $l3 million, and an indoor swimming stadium at a cost of $7 million. The chairman of the

Auckland Regional Authority, Mr Lee Murdoch, said, “It is essential chat the development be sible. If we are thinking in terms of a 20-year-programme, we can forgetit. That’s in he never, never plan.” Mr Murdoch expects the money for the stadiums to come , from the businesses of Auckland,’ the public of the greater Auckland area (population -800,000), the Government, and . ; the A.R.A. itself. ' - “If the Auckland public indicate to us that they want a complex like this, the A.R.A. will be firm in its role to continue with its project,” he said.