Mount Smart Stadium
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| Former names | Ericsson Stadium (1995–2006) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2 Beasley Avenue, Penrose, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 36°55′6″S 174°48′45″E / 36.91833°S 174.81250°ECoordinates: 36°55′6″S 174°48′45″E / 36.91833°S 174.81250°E |
| Owner | Auckland Council |
| Operator | Auckland Council |
| Capacity |
Rugby League / Rugby union / Football: 30,000 Concerts: 47,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1965 |
| Opened | 1967; 50 years ago |
| Tenants | |
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New Zealand Warriors (NRL) / (SL) (1995–present) Auckland Vulcans (NSWRL) (2008-2013) Football Kingz (NSL) (1999–2004) Counties Manukau Rugby Union (ITM Cup) (2006–08) 1990 Commonwealth Games |
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Mt Smart Stadium (formerly known as Ericsson Stadium) is a stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the home ground of National Rugby League team, the New Zealand Warriors. Built within the quarried remnants of the Rarotonga / Mount Smart volcanic cone, it is located 10 kilometres south of the city centre, in the suburb of Penrose.
The Mount Smart Domain Board was established in 1942 with the purpose of transforming the former quarry site into a public reserve. In 1953 a plan was approved for a sports stadium which was officially opened in 1967. In 1978 it hosted 3 matches of the World Series Cricket tour of New Zealand. The stadium hosted track and field events including the highly successful Pan Am series during the early 1980s.
During the 1988 Great Britain Lions tour the Auckland rugby league team defeated the tourists 30-14 at Mt Smart before a crowd of 8,000. Mount Smart hosted its first rugby league international on 23 July 1989 when New Zealand and Australia played the third test of the Kangaroos 1989 New Zealand Tour. In front of 15,000 fans Australia defeated the Kiwis 22-14 to wrap up the series 3-0.
The stadium was chosen as the Main Athletics Stadium as well as the opening and closing ceremonies venue of the 1990 Commonwealth Games. It was where the New Zealand national football team (the All Whites) played all their home qualifying games for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. This was the first occasion that New Zealand had qualified for a FIFA World Cup and the event captured the imagination of the nation with large crowds packing the stadium.
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