Speedway deal: Proposal to sell Baypark stand for $1, extend lease

The community is being asked if speedway should stay at Mercury Baypark Stadium as the council decides whether to extend the club’s lease.

Baypark Speedway has called the Mount Maunganui stadium home since it was built in 2001 and has a lease to operate there until 2029.

Tauranga City Council is considering a proposal that would extend speedway operations until 2039.

The proposal would involve Speedway Racing Ltd buying the north stand of 15,600 seats for $1 and being responsible for its maintenance, while leasing the land from the council through the facilities arm Bay Venues.

The council would retain ownership of the land and the north stand would be returned to the council at the end of the lease in 2039 for $1.

Baypark Speedway promoter Melissa Webb said the proposal was its preferred option for running speedway in Tauranga.

If the agreement was approved, Baypark Speedway would bring more events to Tauranga that would not be limited to just speedway, said Webb.

“This will be a positive for the city.”

Speedway would prefer a longer lease than 2039 because of the investment it would make, she said.

“We intend on investing a considerable amount of money into improvements at the stadium, and we need the security and longevity for our investment.”

Webb said it was understandable the council wanted Tauranga ratepayers to have their say on the proposal.

Councillor Kevin Schuler said before decisions about the proposal were made, the council wanted to understand the community’s views.

“This consultation is about testing the community’s support for the proposal and weighing up what Mercury Baypark Stadium’s future should look like for the next decade.”

The proposal provided a way for speedway to continue operating without placing immediate costs on ratepayers, he said.

“If there’s not strong community support for this approach, we’ll explore alternative options for the site beyond 2029.”

Schuler said the north stand was in poor condition and required investment to remain operational.

It was used almost exclusively for speedway events, around 15 times a year.

“If speedway continues until 2039, it would be under new arrangements that shift the immediate cost and responsibility for maintaining the stand to Speedway Racing.”

“If not, there are potential opportunities to reimagine the site for future recreational or commercial uses that could serve the wider community from 2029.”

Speedway was at risk of being displaced in 2022 when the commission governing the council had plans to replace the stadium with a multi-use sporting precinct for outdoor netball, track and field athletics and gymnastics.

A protest was held and a “Hands Off Baypark Speedway” campaign was launched.

There was also the threat of legal action if an agreement about speedway was not reached.

In September 2023, the plans were changed to keep the stadium and pits and allow speedway to retain its current lease until 2029.

Consultation on the speedway proposal closes at 5pm on June 23.

A drop-in session with councillors will be held at Mercury Baypark Arena Suites on June 14 from 10am to noon.

Local Democracy Reporting is local-body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.