In the year to June 2024, the stadium hosted 14 major events with a combined attendance of 45,795. Another 10,409 attended functions held in the lounges. Alarmingly, the cost to hold the events was more than the revenue generated.
The Trust has 11 employees and five
trustees. The Annual Report shows
employee costs were $845,000. The
remuneration to the trustees is not stated.
One of the achievements noted was
the development of a “cultural logo narrative”, which they say “is rich in
symbolism and is associated with fishing and the abundance of the sea. It also
represents the interconnection between humans and the natural world”. The
report does not say how much the logo and its storyline cost.
We think the staff and five
trustees should focus more on reducing the operating deficit and its reliance
on ratepayer handouts than on woke fairy-tale narratives.
The stadium’s original
construction was funded by WDC ($3 million), NRC ($13 million via a
Recreational Facilities Rate), and central government ($2.5 million). The WDC
owns the facility and is responsible for its upkeep, which includes the cost of
a new $10 million roof that is to commence shortly.
The stadium, like the
Hundertwasser, promised much when it was first proposed and made bold claims
about being self-funding. Yeah, right.
Sources: Northland Events Centre (2021) Trust Annual Report 2024 HERE >>>