|
|
Post by midway on May 7, 2015 22:01:36 GMT 12
Decision delayed by 6-12 months, which probably means 2-3 years, so I guess the Springs will gain another reprieve. An article I've read also states that Speedway Promotions Limited (SPL) has pledged $5,000,000 to the council towards the upgrade of Mt Smart. Barry B I always thought that the Springs was tendered out for a Promoter or promotion and a certain given time frame ,keeping it in accordance with council policy ?/ Reading how it is written the pledged amount to the council maybe looked upon as a bribe for the continuation of SPL for future rights ,shutting the door to any other prospects . Just like dangling the carrot in front of the donkey .. |
|
|
|
Post by BarryB on May 8, 2015 6:30:26 GMT 12
I think it's well and truly obvious the previous person in charge of this has duped the councillors tasked with the vote, with crooked figures to obtain the outcome he wanted, over pricing doing up Mt Smart for the Warriors if they were to stay there whilst under costing Albany, transferring speedway to Mt Smart and reconfiguring WS for cricket to move there for one game per year. What is frightening though is that at least 10 of the 23 councillors were bluffed by this fool, and prepared to vote it all through. Hopefully Domm's successor can sort this mess out.
Barry B
UPDATE; To back up that claim, the Warriors were asked to produce a "wish list" of everything they could possibly want in an International standard stadium. The way I read things, that "wish list" included a 10-storey car park building. And why wouldn't you include it if you were asked to put in everything you could ever possibly want? That bill came to $75,000,000, but obviously the Warriors would have been happy with a much cheaper upgrade than that. Yet Domm put forward the $75,000,000 cost, while privately telling councillors that'd actually cost closer to $100,000,000, so it's no wonder some of the voting was for the Warriors to leave Mt Smart. I suspect it was the dollar signs put in front of them that swayed many of the votes, but possibly now the councillors are seeing that the figures they were working from were unreliable.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier on May 8, 2015 8:16:24 GMT 12
Why tarnish a good reputation with that poison chalice !  What this Auck joint needs is a complete take over by the Govt,akin to an out of control school board-throw the whole thing into management.Brown is simply destructive,a complete and utter lame duck. I dont follow league,but i know enough to figure out that Eden Park or Nth Harbour is not a good fit. Weve been duped by Mosen etc,simple as that. Only move if the punters and competitors want it?? yeah right.........you got me,i shouldn't have listened. $5M bribe to secure Mt Smart- so there's plenty in the kitty to upgrade WS demolish the pit area /clubrooms etc and make some space?? yeah nah |
|
|
|
Post by BarryB on May 8, 2015 9:24:18 GMT 12
As I've pointed out earlier Hoosier, I DO follow League, so was getting screwed on the speedway AND the league fronts. Then I read how outdoor concert tickets to shows at Mt Smart would rise by up to 50% due to 10,000 seats getting ripped out of Mt Smart to make way for the speedway, a speedway virtually nobody wants there, and I was triply peeved (the visiting acts still want the same amout of $$$ to appear while the promoter has 10,000 less seats to sell to pay for said act).
This latest news, albeit possibly only a reprieve, is good news for now anyway. Hopefully common sense will eventually prevail, although as you've said the current council may need to be kicked into touch first. I'd actually prefer if they were completely kicked out of the ball park........
One sad aside here is though, is that it looks like for speedway fans to get the result they want here, they're going to be relying on, and therefore beholding to, League into obtaining the result for them.........
Barry B
|
|
|
|
Post by midway on May 8, 2015 15:11:52 GMT 12
Outdoor concerts may still be held at the springs or any other venue with a seating capacity that the promoter is happy with ,so really it isnt a big issue ,like the big top that was at Mt smart behind the main stadium .
When push comes to shove most will find the status quo will win and the rest will be left Farting against Thunder,and about useless as tits on a bull ..
|
|
|
|
Post by BarryB on May 8, 2015 15:40:02 GMT 12
The promoters are loathe to use Western Springs except for the very biggest shows it seems, because it's so time consuming, thus expensive, to get consent to stage the shows there. That's why they prefer Mt Smart.
Barry B
|
|
|
|
Post by morepower on May 8, 2015 17:04:16 GMT 12
It would be interesting to see a figure from a drivers / fans side of who wants to move from western springs. We hear in the media that Bill wants to move so is this solely his decision?
Do they really need 20 plus meetings? What on earth do they intend to run at these meetings? Last I looked, the last few seasons they can’t even full the fields for last part due to budgets running out. I would hate to think what a season pass will cost with this promotion now charging upwards of $30 a meet!
Some questions below which I think are valid that if someone can point me into the direction of any answers for them
• Will this be for just the current spring’s classes?
• Will Waikaraka merge?
• Will the bikes and sidecars merge?
• What specification will the track be?
• Same as the springs?
• Wall close to the track or a run off?
• Will the track suit Sprintcars?
• Will the track be built to suit just open wheelers or both?
• What surface will be used?
• Will the track be built to accommodate stockcars or bikes? I hope not! As much as I like stockcars and bikes a great open wheel track should not be undermined by accommodating classes that are too different.
• Is there any guarantee that future noise complaints will never affect Mt Smart? It surprises me that there has been no negative press from areas close to Mt Smart regarding possible noise. It may be a commercial area but it is still very close to residential
• Will classes suffer in other regions due to less chance of travel if running all meetings?
• So many more questions
If most of the above questions were answered and generally more information given to the general public this would be appreciated. With a clean slate these should be very important areas that teams should get given a chance to have input, maybe this will happen hate to say it once the go ahead is given
Personally I would prefer to stay at the springs and not miss any meetings and also travel to other tracks. If the amount is being offered by the springs to help invest in Mt Smart why that can’t be put into the springs or even “left field idea” Meremere and run both. This would mean bigger track for Sprintcars and a small track and large track series to include internationals.
|
|
|
|
Post by jimmyj on May 8, 2015 19:21:45 GMT 12
Any sort of luck Sir Peter might buy the council and sort out the whole pack of WAYN KERS.
Mosen included
|
|
|
|
Post by epmurc on May 8, 2015 19:26:25 GMT 12
Couple of comments about how the track at Mt Smart would look.
My concern would be around the size of the thing, as it stands the Springs track is really too small in both length and width for really good Sprint car racing. Using Bay Park or Palmy as a measuring stick, as they both have sports fields in the middle of their track, you require a good 20 - 25m of space outside the field on each side to fit in a reasonable sized track. There's not even half that on either side of the No.1 field at Mt Smart, you run smack bang into the grandstands. The newer of the two stands is actually built over the top of the old running track, and that was only 400m round the "pole line".
There is talk of them demolishing one of the grandstands which seems like a pretty extreme measure and all that would give you is a bit more width, there's some pretty serious banks at either end which would prevent you making the straights any longer.
So moving over to the No.2 ground, the outer edge of the running track on the back straight and both turns is actually cut into a huge bank, an enormous amount of excavation would be needed to widen that enough for a speedway track. There is a grandstand on the front straight that would probably have to stay. That can't be moved out further as it backs on to a commercial premises.
|
|
|
|
Post by midway on May 8, 2015 21:58:05 GMT 12
The promoters are loathe to use Western Springs except for the very biggest shows it seems, because it's so time consuming, thus expensive, to get consent to stage the shows there. That's why they prefer Mt Smart. Barry B Did Pink Floyd play at western Springs ?/ and sing another brick in the wall ,a good meaning to that song ,maybe a long term strategy was thought of ..  |
|
|
|
Post by magilla on May 9, 2015 12:03:12 GMT 12
I can't see where you would have the pits whatever ground they use at Mt Smart.
Nothing anywhere near #1 really
Possibly #4 is near #2 but a bit small and is steep drop from #4 to #2
Maybe #3 and/or carpark but again steep drop down to #2 and #1
|
|
|
|
Post by teamkaos on May 11, 2015 14:16:40 GMT 12
morepower Mt Smart already get noise complaints for the Warriors and they have had complaints every time the Drifting has been held there as far as Im aware. epmurc As I understand it they are planning on demo the bottom section of both Stands to gain the width and removing the entire south stand for the length, so the track would be plenty big enough. Who knows where the pits would be thou?? lol And Public parking for that matter.
|
|
|
|
Post by teamkaos on May 11, 2015 14:25:57 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by BarryB on May 11, 2015 14:50:29 GMT 12
January 22nd 2014 @ 1:17:15pm. Talks of speedway at WS until (or "no later than") June 2017. That's two more years by my math!! "The current venue hire agreement that SPL has at Western Springs with Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA) terminates no later than June 30th 2017." Barry B |
|
|
|
Post by hdr on May 11, 2015 17:18:20 GMT 12
Just ditch the Mt Smart plans and build it a Colin Dale Park in manukau.  |
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier on May 11, 2015 18:41:07 GMT 12
Sir Peter Leech has done more for the "keep it at Western Springs" cause than all the SPL folk put together.
Why the silence from the promoter etc? stone motherless silence so far as ive seen
|
|
|
|
Post by jimmyj on May 11, 2015 19:26:55 GMT 12
Because Hoosier they want to go to Mt Smart .
|
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier on May 11, 2015 22:11:33 GMT 12
Because Hoosier they want to go to Mt Smart . Yip i gather that: They should come off the rails and let us the punters ,competitors,etc ,know their modus operandi -seems a bit of talking out both sides of the old gob going on |
|
|
|
Post by morepower on May 12, 2015 7:41:24 GMT 12
Cheers TK, Thought that was the case on noise there now. Grass is not always greener as they say
|
|
|
|
Post by atmosports on May 12, 2015 17:40:43 GMT 12
For those that don't get any springs updates this might be of interest, just putting it out there so you get their side of the story or lack of it
Hi everyone,
Hope you are all well, and getting those cars stripped ready for their off-season make-over for next season.
I thought I would update you all on the latest comings and goings around the ‘Stadium’ concepts that we have all read recently in the newspapers.
Firstly I want to explain why neither Bill or I have not said much, if anything. It was clear that the Warriors didn’t want to leave Mt Smart Stadium,
and the fight was between themselves and the Council. Neither Cricket or ourselves needed to wade into that, as it was best to sit back and leave them to it.
Bill and I have met with the Council, and our discussions were all based on possibilities. What I can tell you all now is:
1) We have NOT done a deal to leave Western Springs
2) We have NOT done a deal to go to Mt Smart Stadium.
What I have done is extend the lease for Speedway to remain at Western Springs until June 2018. I told you all a little over a year ago we had extended
our deal with Council for a further 3 years, last year we used the first of those 3. We then had 2 left, and we now are back to 3.
A little over a week or so ago, I called a meeting at our offices in Mt Wellington to discuss the Western Springs, and Mt Smart ideas.
The people who attended that meeting were:
1) Representatives from the ‘Save Speedway at Western Springs Group’, and included
· James Selwyn, Dave Gick, Donna O’Brian and Nick Brown.
2) Representatives from the Western Springs Drivers Club and included
· Daniel Eggleton – Sprintcars
· Leith Maskovich – Midgets
· Josh Melrose – TQs
· Mike Pipes – F2 Midgets
· Brian Guptill – Officials and Volunteers
· Graeme Drummond – Car Owners
· Geoff Harper – Club Chairman
· Bryce Townsend – Clerk of the Course
· Aaron Drever – Commentators
After a couple of hours of discussion, we voted unanimously that SPL should approach the Council to explore all opportunities to best protect
Speedway at Western Springs and to also ensure it remains in Auckland. This included understanding what the deal might look like if Speedway
was moved to Mt Smart Stadium.
Unfortunately there is a small group of individuals who do not have anything factual at hand, trying to wind everyone up, however, why let the
truth get in the way of a good story.
If you have any doubts, I strongly urge you to contact your Club representative, or call one of the others on the list who attended the meeting and
they will explain what the plan is going forward. Once I have further details, I will update you then.
A couple of general bits of info for you all:
· I have attached the ‘draft schedule’ for the 2015/16 season. You will note that there is no large gap in January, as the Midgets are not travelling
to Australia at that time. The details of that trip are to come, however it will we after our season finishes.
· We have three Kiwi’s heading to the US shortly, in Brock, Brad and Hayden. We wish them all the best in both the POWRi, and USAC Midget Weeks.
Updates will be on the Western Springs Facebook Page. At the last count there were over 40 supporters heading up there to cheer the lads on.
· The SNZ Annual Conference is in mid-June, and we have a strong contingent representing Western Springs to ensure any changes will suit both our
track, and our competitors.
If you have news or updates and would like us to post these on our Facebook page, send them in to Melissa at melissa@springspromotions.co.nz
Thanks,
Greg Mosen – Promoter
Western Springs Speedway
P: 64 9 588 4050
F: 64 9 588 4051
M: 64 274 961 666
3 Bowden Road, Mt Wellington
P.O.Box 51376 Pakuranga
Manukau 2140, New Zealand
|
|
