Though Christchurch’s Te Kaha Stadium will only officially open in two years’ time, the venue, managed by the Christchurch City Council, Venues Ōtautahi, is actively preparing for its launch.
The One New Zealand Stadium (recently named through a 10-year partnership from 2026 to 2036) will boast a 36,000-person capacity for concerts. Scheduled to open in April 2026 in the city centre, the multipurpose, roofed venue will also aim to attract large-scale corporate events.
Danny Schroder, general manager, commercial, of Venues Ōtautahi, told TTGmice on the sidelines of Business Events Industry Aotearoa’s Meetings 2024: “The playing field, for example, is available for private and business events, and can host 10,000 people cocktail-style, or 5,400 banquet-style.”
He pointed out that the venue will also feature a main function room on level one, 23 smaller meeting rooms on level two, as well as two long terraces on each floor where tables can be set up for a seated dinner with the stadium serving as a backdrop.
At the northern end of the venue, there will be a 2,705m2 space – decked out with high-impact technology – that would also work for gala dinners or cocktail functions for 1,400 and 2,500 pax respectively.
“We estimate that the One New Zealand Stadium will attract over 200 multiple sporting events, major entertainment events and concerts, over 180 business events, and will welcome over 500,000 guests per year. The economic impact of the venue is expected to be around NZ$50 million (US$30.7 million) per year for the Canterbury region,” he added.
When asked if the wider stadium precinct would also be activated to include tourist attractions like the Optus Stadium in Perth, Schroder indicated that this will only come into play once the venue is fully operational.
Schroder pointed out: “Venues Ōtautahi delivers over 250 business events annually and the One New Zealand Stadium will provide a unique offering for events in Christchurch. The business events team will continue to have a presence at industry tradeshows and focus on account management and business development promoting the portfolio of venues.”
