Mount Smart Stadium, Sports stadium in Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand.
Mount Smart Stadium is a sports venue in Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand, with two permanent grandstands on the western and eastern sides and a grass hill on the northern end. Temporary seating can be added at the southern end to accommodate different event types.
The stadium opened in 1967 on a former quarry site of the Rarotonga volcanic cone. It later served as the primary athletics venue for the 1990 Commonwealth Games held in the region.
The New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League play their home games here, and the club's farewell to Manu Vatuvei in 2017 led to the ground being renamed Manu Vatuvei Stadium for one match. In 2024 it became Shaun Johnson Stadium for a week to mark his final home game. The stadium also hosted the first standalone NRL Women's Premiership match, on 22 September 2019.
The stadium sits in Penrose, about 10 km south of Auckland's city centre, built into the quarried remnants of the Rarotonga / Mount Smart volcanic cone. Permanent seating is tiered on two levels, with a grass hill at the northern end and temporary stands added at the south when needed. The Athletics Ground, Mt Smart Stadium Number 2, hosts separate athletics meets.
The 1981 compilation The Mauri Hikitia, featuring Rhonda, Ken Kincaid, Deane Waretini and the Lightwood family, reached number 4 on the New Zealand charts, with proceeds supporting the stadium project.
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