All right. The organ stadium debate, Wayne Brown said, let's just put this to bed was heating up. Thursday. They're going to have a council vote on this and the officials have received a report on the two options, and that report warns that both Eden Park and Key Parks proposals aren't feasible without public funding. Eden Park two point zero, for instance, will require at least one hundred and ten million dollars alone from Central Government for its initial stage one plan and that's just the North stand. So Marris Williamson is an organd councilor who will be sitting around the table on Thursday and trying to make a decision about all of this and joins us out. Good moody to you, Morris.

All right. The organ stadium debate, Wayne Brown said, let's just put this to bed was heating up. Thursday. They're going to have a council vote on this and the officials have received a report on the two options, and that report warns that both Eden Park and Key Parks proposals aren't feasible without public funding. Eden Park two point zero, for instance, will require at least one hundred and ten million dollars alone from Central Government for its initial stage one plan and that's just the North stand. So Marris Williamson is an organd councilor who will be sitting around the table on Thursday and trying to make a decision about all of this and joins us out. Good moody to you, Morris.

Good funding.

Good funding.

Of course, they're not feasible without public investment. Wasn't that a given right from the start?

Of course, they're not feasible without public investment. Wasn't that a given right from the start?

Yeah? I would have thought so. They are huge projects with huge sums of money, and I would have thought, well, I've still got a lot of questions. So as you can understand, we haven't had our meeting yet, and one of my questions is why are we involved in this if these people are going to do it themselves and they can fund it and so on. Well, then we don't need to be involved. And if we are being involved and we're saying, well, we're not going to fund anything, it's almost sort of a double entendre here, I.

Yeah? I would have thought so. They are huge projects with huge sums of money, and I would have thought, well, I've still got a lot of questions. So as you can understand, we haven't had our meeting yet, and one of my questions is why are we involved in this if these people are going to do it themselves and they can fund it and so on. Well, then we don't need to be involved. And if we are being involved and we're saying, well, we're not going to fund anything, it's almost sort of a double entendre here, I.

Think absolutely, and yet Wayne Brown said let's put this to bed, let's do this's come up with a decision. And yet at the same time it appears if you don't want to be part of the public funding of it all, it's never going anywhere. This has been a waste of time.

Think absolutely, and yet Wayne Brown said let's put this to bed, let's do this's come up with a decision. And yet at the same time it appears if you don't want to be part of the public funding of it all, it's never going anywhere. This has been a waste of time.

Well, my question, I think I want to answer it on Thursday is why are we being brought into this now? We can obviously provide some assistance by way of consenting and helping along the way that might assist the speed of it, But there are huge chunks of money. If you look at Eden Park two point one, they're talking about five hundred million minimum to do this stage one, two and then the retractable roof stage three. So again, I mean it's pretty clear. I think that the mayor has made it clear in his statements that there will be no funding from the council, So I guess the proposal still got the ability to go to central government. But I wouldn't like the chances there either.

Well, my question, I think I want to answer it on Thursday is why are we being brought into this now? We can obviously provide some assistance by way of consenting and helping along the way that might assist the speed of it, But there are huge chunks of money. If you look at Eden Park two point one, they're talking about five hundred million minimum to do this stage one, two and then the retractable roof stage three. So again, I mean it's pretty clear. I think that the mayor has made it clear in his statements that there will be no funding from the council, So I guess the proposal still got the ability to go to central government. But I wouldn't like the chances there either.

But here's the thing. Eden Park rebranded itself as New Zealand's national stadium, which every other stadium went what. But that's okay, it's a branding thing. We need a national stadium, we need a focus for a country. We're what five and a half million, it's like being a city. We're competing against Australia. Shouldn't the government actually be stepping in and saying, right, this is the main stadium for the country.

But here's the thing. Eden Park rebranded itself as New Zealand's national stadium, which every other stadium went what. But that's okay, it's a branding thing. We need a national stadium, we need a focus for a country. We're what five and a half million, it's like being a city. We're competing against Australia. Shouldn't the government actually be stepping in and saying, right, this is the main stadium for the country.

Well, much as I would love to speak on behalf of the government and make big decisions, I really don't think I should. It'll be up to them to decide. Now. There are enormous economic benefits that can happen from these, because huge events can bring in massive tourism and spending and hotel bed nights and so on. And you can actually sometimes put a spreadsheet together which shows an investment of a few hundred million can get you back multiple numbers of that. But that would be for central government to make a decision. I think a council while we're sitting on a close to fifteen billion of debt, while we're struggling to how to pay bills, and while we're trying not to make the ratepayers pay rates and increases that make your eyes water, we really haven't got an ability to start playing in this game as well.

Well, much as I would love to speak on behalf of the government and make big decisions, I really don't think I should. It'll be up to them to decide. Now. There are enormous economic benefits that can happen from these, because huge events can bring in massive tourism and spending and hotel bed nights and so on. And you can actually sometimes put a spreadsheet together which shows an investment of a few hundred million can get you back multiple numbers of that. But that would be for central government to make a decision. I think a council while we're sitting on a close to fifteen billion of debt, while we're struggling to how to pay bills, and while we're trying not to make the ratepayers pay rates and increases that make your eyes water, we really haven't got an ability to start playing in this game as well.

And what are your constituents saying to you? What's the public saying to you when you're out?

And what are your constituents saying to you? What's the public saying to you when you're out?

And about everybody I talked to is keen on Eden Park. There's a sort of a love affair with Eden Park based on its history, where it's been my concern about anything that was to be built down on the waterfront, and it's a pretty sensible concern, I think, is that if you build on the waterfront, you want something that's looking out, you know, the harbor view. So you build apartments and restaurants and hotels and they all got their glass windows looking at the beautiful view. That's its value. But if you build a stadium, it's looking in. You go and sit down in your seat and you're looking at the grass inside. So I would have thought the last thing you would do is build a big stadium down on the waterfront, which is main feature is it's phenomenal view of the most iconic harbor going. So I'm a big fan of the old history of Eden Park. But you know we've got to have an open mind when we're brief, but my very first question is, if we're not funding this, why are we considering this at all?

And about everybody I talked to is keen on Eden Park. There's a sort of a love affair with Eden Park based on its history, where it's been my concern about anything that was to be built down on the waterfront, and it's a pretty sensible concern, I think, is that if you build on the waterfront, you want something that's looking out, you know, the harbor view. So you build apartments and restaurants and hotels and they all got their glass windows looking at the beautiful view. That's its value. But if you build a stadium, it's looking in. You go and sit down in your seat and you're looking at the grass inside. So I would have thought the last thing you would do is build a big stadium down on the waterfront, which is main feature is it's phenomenal view of the most iconic harbor going. So I'm a big fan of the old history of Eden Park. But you know we've got to have an open mind when we're brief, but my very first question is, if we're not funding this, why are we considering this at all?

Good question, Marris Williamson, have a good meeting on Thursday.

Good question, Marris Williamson, have a good meeting on Thursday.

For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to News Talks it be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to News Talks it be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.