| 1996 |
The council flags the need for a major indoor venue in its annual and strategic plans, and undertakes a preliminary assessment. |
| 1997 |
Consultation with sport, entertainment and business leaders confirms the need for an arena
The council buys the lease of the Quay Park site from owner Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board
The mayors of greater Auckland and the chairman of the Auckland Regional Council ask the Hillary Commission chairman, Sir
Wilson Whineray, to oversee a review of possible sites and to make recommendations on an appropriate site for a major indoor arena for the
greater Auckland area. |
| 1998 |
The Quay Park site is endorsed as the best of the three proposed sites by the Hillary Commission. A key reason is its
central city location. "This site is an opportunity which will not be repeated. It provides a location with dual advantages of excellent
access for all transport modes and a place along Auckland's waterfront." |
| November 1999 |
The council calls for expressions of interest for the development and operation of an indoor arena under a BOOT scheme. At
the same time public consultation was undertaken, with 81 per cent of people responding saying they supported the idea. |
| February 2000 |
The council's Strategic Plan, adopted after extensive community consultation and involvement, includes an indoor
arena in the central city as a milestone. |
| June 2001 |
Consultation as part of the council's draft annual plan confirms that more people support than oppose the arena proposal
and the council's proposal to contribute $50 million. The council confirms the funding proposal. |
| September 2001 |
The council calls for more detailed Phase 2 bids from three consortia short-listed from the five expressions of interest
it received in 1999. |
| April 2002 |
The council endorses Abigroup Limited as the preferred proponent for development of an indoor arena at Quay Park in
partnership with the council. |
| August 2002 - August 2003 |
The council and the Australian infrastructure company Abigroup Limited work together on detailed planning for the
arena, including negotiations - which are to be unsuccessful - of the commercial and legal detail. Abigroup applies for and is successful in obtaining resource consent for an arena. The resource consent remains with the
site. |
| August 2003 |
By terminating its unsuccessful exclusive dealings with Abigroup Limited, the council is able to investigate other options
and talk to other potential partners in the development of an arena. The council begins to work with a consortium led by Jacobsen Venue
Management (JVM), which had been the council's second preferred proponent from its expressions of interest process in 1999. |
| December 2003 |
The JVM-led consortium - Quay Park Arena Management (QPAM) - and Auckland City Council sign a heads of agreement to work
together on the detailed financial and legal planning. Once satisfied that all issues have been dealt, they proceed to the next step which is
agreeing to build the arena. The consortium complete the detailed design of the arena and apply for a variation to the existing resource consent to accommodate a
revised building design. |
| February 2004 |
QPAM lodge an application for a variation to the resource consent originally approved for the arena in July 2003.
The variation is required to accommodate QPAM's own revised design for the arena. Independent commissioners - not the council -
consider the variation. |
| March 2004 |
Independent commissioners approve QPAM's application for a variation to the existing resource consent. |
| July 2004 |
Construction begins on the Vector Arena. |
| March 2007 |
Vector Arena is operational |
| April 2007 |
Official opening ceremony |
