A recent survey conducted among more than 1500 residents in the Mt Eden and Kingsland area has shown strong support for Auckland's Eden Park to host at least one Taylor Swift concert. The survey, commissioned by the Eden Park Trust and released on Monday, indicated that more than 93 percent of respondents are in favor of the stadium, capable of holding 60,000 people, hosting one of the world's biggest pop stars.
In response to the survey results, Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner stated that they will be "exploring our options" with Auckland Council to update its consents in a bid to secure more than the permitted six concerts a year. He emphasized the importance of hosting large-scale events like concerts, noting their economic and social benefits to the community and New Zealand.
The survey results come amidst Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour', her first tour in five years, which is on track to becoming the highest-grossing tour of all time. Despite her recent performances in Australia, New Zealand fans were disappointed last June when it was announced that Swift was not including Aotearoa in her tour schedule.
Sautner explained that one of the factors contributing to this exclusion was resource consent limitations. He noted that Eden Park's current resource consent permits up to six concerts in any 12-month period. The survey further revealed that more than 90 percent of respondents would support Eden Park hosting six artists, playing up to 12 shows in a calendar year.
Eden Park has a successful track record of hosting world-class concerts, with artists like Billy Joel, Guns N' Roses, and Ed Sheeran performing to sold-out crowds. This year, Pink and Coldplay are set to perform five concerts at the stadium. Sautner concluded by stating that Eden Park will be exploring options with Auckland Council to update its consent and secure more international artists, aiming to satisfy the strong demand from the community and position itself on the world stage.
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