Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium is set to play a major role as New Zealand stages a World Rally Championship (WRC) event for the first time in eight years.
The WRC announced last September that New Zealand would be returning to the calendar this year. The Rally New Zealand is set to take place from September 3-6 and Mt Smart Stadium will act as a base for its service park and rally village.
The stadium will also host an historic Super Special Stage on the Friday and Saturday of the rally, which is being backed by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED).
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said: “Auckland has a strong rally heritage going back more than half a century and it’s good to be able to once again host the WRC after an eight-year hiatus.
“Mt Smart has capacity for 30,000 fans and has good transport connectivity, including proximity to rail and bus services. It will be a great event for locals and for visitors to Auckland, who help boost our local economy.”
Rally New Zealand 2020 chief executive Michael Goldstein added: “The service park at Mt Smart Stadium will be a real hub for the fans to be part of the event. We look forward to welcoming a huge array of kiwis to come and check out this incredible international event, get up close to the cars, meet the drivers and be part of the rally festivities.
“We’re going to supercharge the rally village spectacle by building a super special stage inside the stadium which will make for an incredible experience on the Friday and Saturday of the rally. We can’t wait to hear the roar of the WRC cars echoing through the stadium – it will be an awesome experience that will be very accessible for fans.”
Mt Smart Stadium primarily serves as the home of the New Zealand Warriors NRL rugby league team and is also used as a concert venue.
Image: greenishseal
