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RNZ News
08-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Ponsonby Rugby Club chair unsurprised Auckland Arena deal falls through
Western Springs. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi The chair of Auckland's Ponsonby Rugby Club is not surprised the Mowbray-backed proposal for Western Springs Stadium fell through. Rich-listers - including entrepreneur Anna Mowbray, her husband, former All Black Ali Williams, American businessman Bill Foley, and New Zealander and NBA player Steven Adams - withdrew their proposal for an Auckland Arena, a privately-funded venue focused on football, on Tuesday. It was one of three options for the future of the stadium that went out for public consultation in May. A statement from Auckland Arena now said delivering the privately funded project on public land posed unique challenges. Ponsonby Rugby Club chair Greg Edmonds, who is backing a competing proposal to develop a Western Springs Bowl , said he saw it coming. "It wasn't really a surprise to us," he said. "Getting their proposal up on a piece of land that was publicly owned was always going to be a challenge. A hundred-year lease is a long time to have to look after an asset so we always thought there was some risk that it might not actually get through to a conclusion." He said using public land for a private asset was always going to be an uphill battle. "You've got a private professional sports club that wants to use a public asset for a private-use club. It's the challenge of convincing the governing body that would be the best use of an asset," Edmonds said. Despite the shake-up, Edmonds said there was no need to restart the process. "I don't think they need to restart the process because it was a public, open process for expressions of interest. All of those that had an option for Western Springs Stadium have had that opportunity," he said. "No need to restart the process and spend more public money on a debate that's pretty crystal clear now. "Our proposal is about keeping that stadium in public hands and public use. It's in the best interest of the whole of Auckland, not just for rugby but for all rectangular sports." The Western Springs Bowl proposal was now largely unopposed, however a slim majority indicated a preference to "explore other ideas" during the public consultation period. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill said the agency, which had previously held Auckland Arena as its preferred option, would no longer provide a recommendation to the governing body meeting on 31 July. Instead he said the recommendation would be delayed until after this year's local government elections. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Cool Kiwis: five figures who tick all the boxes
Serena Solomon uncovers five New Zealanders who tick the boxes of being "cool". The secret to what makes someone cool now has some scientific backing. A recent study concluded that cool people tend to have the following traits: extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous. While extroverts need little introductions, the other traits might. For the study, people who are considered hedonistic are people who put pleasure first and enjoy life. An adventurer is someone who takes risks and likes surprises. Someone who is open refers to a person who is creative and open to new ideas. A powerful person has money or is someone who has others under their authority. Universidad Adolfo Ibanez associate professor of marketing Todd Pezzuti, lead researcher on the study, offered up — like it or not — tech billionaire Elon Musk as someone who hits all six markers. So, who are New Zealanders that possess the formula that equals cool? I've come up with five New Zealanders who hit all six traits, thus making them verifiably cool, according to science. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but a starting point for who makes the cut. Taika Waititi It is hard to know what a person is like in private, but by all accounts, the film director, script writer and actor is an extrovert to the max. Creative risk-taking on early projects such as Boy , What We Do in the Shadows and Thor: Ragnarok vaulted him to the upper tier of Hollywood, winning an Oscar as proof. As for hedonism, Waititi is living his best life with his wife, singer Rita Ora. And what is a director who does not love bossing people around on set? Parris Goebel Goebel is from South Auckland and is one of the most sought-after choreographers in the world, working with the likes of Rihanna and, most recently, on the viral dance for Lady Gaga's Abracadabra music video. If her Instagram account is anything to go by (she has a $ for the s in her username), then she is living the good life — working with Beyonce, attending the Formula One or standing in front of a van in some lush furry coat. Like directing, the essence of a choreographer is telling people what to do and embracing the new. Steven Adams Rotorua-born NBA player Steven Adams no doubt has presence at a towering 211cm (6ft 11in), helping him secure a $US39 million ($NZ65m) deal with the Houston Rockets this year. That is some nice money to live a good life, although a lot of photos on his Instagram account are of his dog, a Belgian malinois, which he describes as a small German shepherd, so not exactly a designer dog. In 2024, he finished second in team-mate of the year voting, with superstar Steph Curry in the first spot, so let's assume a bunch of really tall guys listen when Adams speaks. Te Aorere Pewhairangi The social media star and te reo Māori and tikanga consultant has some influence. He learned his te reo Māori through a full-immersion school. It landed him the prized gig of te reo commentator for the All Blacks during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. When he is not filming hilarious social media content with former boxer Mike Tyson in Las Vegas, he is knee deep in community advocacy and adventure. Case in point was his 12-day walk in 2023 along State Highway35 to raise funds and awareness for the Gisborne region after it was devastated a month earlier by Cyclone Gabrielle. Lorde While we are in Lorde overload right now following a months-long build-up to her new album, Virgin — it reached No 1 on the UK and US charts — it would be ignorant not to mention her in this list. After all, David Bowie called her "the future of music". She breaks barriers with her art, and Virgin shows her openness to new sounds and new ideas such as using psychedelic drugs as therapy. Attending the Met Gala in New York in a custom Thom Browne design gets you instant hedonistic status. Honorary mentions Tayi Tibble: The poet was crowned an "It Girl" by the New York Times in 2024. Winston Peters: The well-groomed politician had an adventurous start to his working life as a tunneler on a hydro-electric construction project in Australia. Arguably, he hits all the markers of being cool, according to the research. Jujulips: The South African-born, Auckland-raised hip-hop artist is also on her way to becoming a style icon. Peter Thiel: One of the original tech bros, the American billionaire is a mirror of Elon Musk (they were key figures in forming PayPal), and Thiel got his New Zealand citizenship in 2011. Anna Mowbray: The entrepreneur moved to China to work on the toy company ZURU with her brothers. The wealth generated from that venture resulted in a recent and very hedonistic — and controversial — application to have a helipad built on her inner-city Auckland property. Dai Henwood: The comedian and New Zealand household name has made us laugh and cry for decades, even while in the midst of treatment for stage 4 cancer. The checklist Recent research showed cool people tend to have the following traits.— • Extroverted. • Hedonistic. • Powerful. • Adventurous. • Open. • Autonomous.
RNZ News
07-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Rich-listers pull out of Western Springs Stadium project
Western Springs. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Auckland Football Club's rich-lister owners have pulled their proposal to take over Western Springs Stadium. The privately funded venue focused on football, Auckland Arena, was backed by entrepreneur Anna Mowbray, her husband, former All Black Ali Williams, American businessman Bill Foley, and New Zealander and NBA player Steven Adams. It was one of three options for the future of the stadium that went out for public consultation in May. Auckland Council's economic and cultural agency, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), earlier told councillors they favoured the Auckland Arena proposal. The decision comes just weeks after Mowbray and Williams' controversial resource consent application to build a helipad at their multi-million dollar Westmere property was approved. TAU chief executive Nick Hill told RNZ on Tuesday they were informed by the backers of the Auckland Arena concept for the stadium that they had withdrawn their submission to the expression of interest (EOI) process relating to the future use of the stadium. "We were disappointed to hear of the withdrawal of the Auckland Arena proposal. The EOI evaluation panel and our board had deemed it to be the most positive solution for Auckland. TAU was set to provide a recommendation to the council on which proposal to go ahead with at an upcoming meeting on 31 July. Hill said the TAU Board would put off advising councillors on the issue until after the city's local government elections in October. "Western Springs Stadium is a historic and valued asset with huge potential. We need to consider the public consultation feedback before deciding next steps. We are committed to making a recommendation that will deliver positive outcomes and provide certainty for Aucklanders." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rockets Release NBA Veteran Days After Kevin Durant Trade
Rockets Release NBA Veteran Days After Kevin Durant Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Following a promising but ultimately short-lived 2024-25 season, one in which the Houston Rockets lost in the first round of the NBA playoffs, their front office pivoted decisively toward a win‑now mindset. Advertisement On June 22, the Rockets agreed in principle to acquire two‑time Finals MVP Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns. That transaction, encompassing stars, draft picks and salary-matching deals, could balloon into a record-setting seven-team swap, per Fred Katz of The Athletic, involving franchises such as the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves. League rules mandate official sign‑off after the July moratorium, with final paperwork expected on July 6. Parallel to the Durant deal, Houston re‑signed Fred VanVleet and veteran Steven Adams on team‑friendly terms, then used creative cap management to bring back former Rocket Clint Capela on a three‑year, $21.5 million contract. Advertisement On Thursday, the Rockets made another roster move by waiving veteran center Jock Landale. Undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft coming out of Saint Mary's, Landale took his talents overseas, winning the Lithuanian League championship and Cup in 2020, then capturing the NBL championship and Grand Final MVP honors with Australia's Melbourne United in 2021. His international resume includes a bronze medal with the Australian Boomers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the nation's first Olympic basketball medal. Landale signed his first NBA contract with the San Antonio Spurs for the 2021-22 season, followed by stints with the Phoenix Suns and then Houston beginning in 2023. Advertisement Over four NBA seasons, he compiled career averages of 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds on 51.8% shooting in 12.8 minutes per game. Despite flashes of efficiency and his team‑first approach, Houston's aggressive offseason agenda left little room for Landale. Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) dribbles against Houston Rockets center Jock Landale (2).© Rob Gray-Imagn Images The move comes ahead of Landale's non‑guarantee date of July 7, when his $8 million salary for the 2025-26 season would have fully vested. By cutting Landale, the Rockets cleared critical room under the NBA's first apron hard cap, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks, set at approximately $195.945 million, allowing them to complete sign‑and‑trade deals for Dorian Finney‑Smith and a reunion with Clint Capela without breaching league financial thresholds. Advertisement With the Rockets poised to finalize Durant on July 6 and already committed to multi‑year deals for Finney‑Smith and Capela, Landale's non‑guaranteed salary became a cap casualty. Related: Dennis Schroder Sends 3-Word Message After Joining Sacramento Kings Related: New Damian Lillard Speculation Emerges After Release From Bucks This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Surprise! Veteran center Clint Capela returns to Houston on three-year deal
Veteran center Clint Capela is signing with the Houston Rockets on a three-year, $21.5-million contract, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Monday. External free agency negotiations opened up at 5:00 p.m. Central, and the Rockets and Capela reached an agreement within the first two hours. Advertisement Capela was drafted by the Rockets in the 2014 first round and played for Houston from 2014-15 until the 2020 trade deadline. Capela was then traded to Atlanta as part of a multi-team trade that brought Robert Covington to Houston, and the Swiss big man had played with the Hawks ever since. Over 11 NBA seasons, Capela has averaged 12.0 points (61.7% FG), 10.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 26.2 minutes per game. Now 31 years old, Capela played less in the 2024-25 season (8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds in 21.4 minutes) than he had in any of his previous eight seasons. So, now in his second decade in the league, he appears to be transitioning into more of a backup role — and that will certainly be the case in Houston, where Capela slides in behind All-Star center Alperen Sengun and veteran backup Steven Adams on the depth chart. That said, with Sengun and Adams playing together late last season in 'double big' lineups, it's possible that could open up some minutes for a third center. Additionally, with Adams also 31 years old, it's possible that he and Capela could be load managed during the 82-game regular season in something of a time-share arrangement. Capela is actually cheaper than last season's third-string center, Jock Landale, who was playing on a four-year, $32-million contract (with each season not guaranteed until the preceding summer). With Landale's guarantee date looming, the arrival of Capela would seem to signal that the Australian is on his way out. Advertisement Capela joins veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith, most recently of the Los Angeles Lakers, as Houston's initial roster additions from the opening hours of 2025 free agency. More: Rockets, Jock Landale to delay 2025-26 contract deadline until July 7 This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Veteran center Clint Capela returns to Houston on three-year deal
