Construction partner announced for tennis roof project in Auckland

After nearly 20-years of planning and waiting, Tennis Auckland is within 12 months of completion of a roof over its centre court.

Tennis Auckland has announced its construction partner, Fabritecture NZ Ltd, will design and build the new roof for Auckland's Manuka Doctor Arena, home of the ASB Classic. 

The roof-build will have a staged construction programme from late-2026, from building consent and fabrication to on-site works, with completion scheduled in July 2027, well ahead of the 2028 ASB Classic.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said the ASB Classic has been a major international event in our city for many years.

“A roof over the centre-court is crucial if the tournament is to retain and build on its international reputation and continue to provide a marvellous spectacle for fans from over the country to come to enjoy in our great city,” the Mayor said, adding that the roof will allow other events like music, basketball and netball to be played at the boutique arena.

“Unlike roofs over swimming pools, when it rains, it stops tennis.

“Through Auckland Council Events and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, we are delighted to play a role in enabling Tennis Auckland to continue to develop and showcase this event, along with a wider range of new events at this arena, to the city, the country and fans from further afield.”

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said it’s great to see the project moving into the next stage.

“We invested in this project to help ensure the venue can continue attracting world-class events and delivering benefits for visitors, businesses and local communities,” said Hon Louise Upston about the Government investment in the project.

“I’m thrilled it has reached this important milestone, for the arena and the future of tennis in New Zealand.”

Tennis Auckland CEO Rohan West said the appointment of a construction partner is a key step forward for this legacy project.

“This roof will give Auckland a modern, year-round venue that New Zealand can be proud of, and Fabritecture is the exactly the partner we need to get this right,” West said. 

"Their experience delivering fabric roof structures on major venues globally means we are not experimenting. We are applying a proven system to a building that means a huge amount for tennis in New Zealand."

Hundreds of thousands of Kiwis have already experienced Fabritecture NZ’s work at the new One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha, where the company designed and constructed the roof system for the 30,000-seat venue.

The company’s other notable roof projects include the Ken Rosewall Arena, a 10,500-seat venue at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre, the Queensland Tennis Centre, and Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong. 

David Gullis, co-owner and Chief Business Development Officer of Fabritecture NZ Ltd, is equally excited about the project.

"We are thrilled to be working with Tennis Auckland, who have been professional and clear about the project requirements from the outset.

“Being part of an architectural but complex design solution is exactly what Fabritecture was built to deliver.

“Our portfolio of similar venues around the world, including One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha, Ken Roswell Arena in Sydney and Adelaide Oval, are testament to this. And this will be another amazing structure.

“We're looking forward to seeing the Manuka Doctor Arena completed ahead of the 2028 ASB Classic.”

Fabritecture's design will see a fabric canopy installed over Centre Court creating a covered venue with a capacity of 3500 people for the ASB Classic and close to 4000 for concerts.

"A roof changes everything for this venue," West said. "It protects the ASB Classic from rain delays and cancellations and gives players the conditions they expect from a modern tour stop.

“Just as importantly, it opens the arena up to a much wider range of events beyond tennis, including concerts, theatre performances, conferences and other sporting events.”

The funding for the $15 million roof project was fully secured through a sequence of milestones including the initial resource consent, a $1.5 million Auckland Council grant, a $5 million New Zealand Government investment, grants from the Grassroots Trust, contributions from private donors, and a final $5 million capital grant from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.

Fabritecture NZ Ltd is a world leading specialist contractor in bespoke fabric architecture and modular structures, with offices in six countries and over 300 projects delivered globally totalling more than 300,000m² of high-quality fabric membrane roof structures.