Welcome to the Sport and Event Centre – a multi-purpose conference and training facility for schools, sports teams, and private groups.
Our sports facilities are top-class, and used by athletes from around the world. Catering to your requirements, we have both indoor and outdoor training areas allowing training and matches to happen any time of the year. The Sport and Event Centre also has a recovery room onsite with physiotherapy beds, ice machine, and hot and cold plunge pools.
Our conference and event spaces can host groups as small as 6 or as large as 300. With a flexible indoor space for large functions and award ceremonies, the Sport and Event Centre can meet your needs.
Table service, buffet options and a bar are available for your use.
We also have accommodation options and can house up to 65 people in twin and triple rooms, allowing teams, conference/event participants, or school groups to stay at the venue!
We know sports and events, and by using the Sport and Event Centre, you will have everything you need in one location.
Sports facilities
Top-class facilities for schools and sports teams in a high performance environment.
Conference and event spaces
Our corporate facilities and event spaces are ideal for meetings, team building sessions, conferences or fully catered functions.
Catering
We provide high quality cuisine, created and prepared by our team of chefs from the Wharerata function facility. Whether it be a full banquet, light lunch or morning tea, or a specialty pre- and post-match training menu, our chefs will satisfy your culina
Accommodation
Our sports hotel accommodation options are perfectly suited for conferences, training camps and school groups.
Sport and Event Centre features
- Our indoor training arena is designed with impact-resistant glass and artificial turf.
- Outside, we offer full-size grass pitches which can be converted to rugby or soccer fields, as well as a top-of-the-line artificial hockey turf and one of the best athletics tracks in the country today.
- After training, rest and recover with our physiotherapy beds, ice machine, and hot and cold plunge pools.
School groups
The Sport and Event Centre provides the perfect venue for school sport training and planning sessions, or we can host travelling teams attending school tournaments in the Manawatū region.
With onsite accommodation, the centre can house up to 65 people. Students’ rooms may be twin- or triple-share, while our suites on the top floor are ideal for teachers and coaches.
For non-sporting school groups, the Sport and Event Centre provides a great location for team-building activities, classes, seminars, workshops or lectures.
History
The centre was originally known as the Adidas Institute of Rugby and was built to model the shape of the iconic silver fern – the most recognised icon in New Zealand sport.
Since its opening in 1999 as a training academy for the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) – and a base for the New Zealand academy team – the Sport and Event Centre has played host to high profile sports teams from New Zealand and around the world, including the Black Ferns, NZ Defence force, and most recently the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Spanish team.