Yesterday we had the honour of taking part in a ceremony marking the breaking of the first ground for the upcoming Open Country Stadium build in Matamata. Local mana whenua led a karakia and ceremony to bless the site. As Matua Mokoro Gillett said before turning the first sod underneath a grey sky, “The rain is a blessing.”

Resource consent for the stadium was granted in September this year and the groundworks will start next week with fencing going up first. The main build has an expected completion date of early 2026, but there were times when it looked like it wasn’t going to happen at all. “There have been numerous ups and downs,” said Bruce Magan, who kick-started this initiative several years ago and has been pushing it forward ever since.

Matamata Futures Trust (MFT) and the wider community have put in a huge amount of passion and hard work to get the project this far. Their goal was to develop a sustainable, modern, fit for purpose facility that will last for future generations. As Frank Healey (MFT Chair) said to Council, "If you get organised and work together, things happen!"

Following a lot of support from Matamata businesses and residents, we came on board along with Sport Waikato, and Ministry of Education to get this project over the line. “This has been such a long time coming,” said Mayor Adrienne, “the students and residents of 2026 will have a great facility to enjoy.” Then she thanked the sponsors, including Open Country who have naming rights for the stadium.

The facility aims to address several local challenges, including low indoor sports participation and an aging population, while also serving as a hub for school and community activities. By bringing more recreational opportunities to Matamata, the hope is that the stadium will improve people's quality of life and attract new residents to the area. Matthew Cooper, CEO of Sport Waikato summed it up well when he said, “This is a story of collaboration and partnership, and the community has shown great resilience.”

You can read more about the project here or sign up to our mailing list for the latest updates by selecting ‘Matamata Indoor Stadium’ under ‘Projects’ here.