Spark Arena — Attraction in Waitematā

Went to the Iron Maiden concert on 16/09/24. Iron maiden were awesome! One of the best shows I've ever been too.

But as a venue I would NOT RECOMMEND going here. We paid a heap of money for Premium VIP tickets, we were supposed to get bags with band merchandise, early entry into the show before all the other ticket holders and free drinks in the VIP Lounge. It was so unorganized. The VIP tickets were a complete waste of money, The staff here couldn't organise their way out of a wet paperbag! The VIP Lounge opened half an hour late, so we only got a couple of drinks, we had to go upstairs through another area and then back downstairs to FIND our free merchandise (no staff told us where it was, it was not in the VIP area where it should be) then security guards wouldn't let us through after the other guards told us to go that way to get our free merch. And by the time we got back to the VIP lounge the concert had started and we ended up in a rubbish place in the centre of the arena. Instead of up the front where we had paid to be. And should have been seeing as we were over an hour early. We are NOT HAPPY!!! This was my first time at Spark Arena.

I WILL NOT BE BACK !!!

Most of the staff were useless and didn't care that we had pretty much missed out On the whole VIP experience. Wellington Sky Stadium and Wellington TSB Arena run rings around this place.

If I could give Spark Arena half a...

Overall its a nice big venue that always has good artists playing here but the management and security here is horrible. Security do nothing about people cutting in line, bad management of tickets that dont work, in the actual venue staff don't give out enough water in the pit which results in people passing out, and staff in general are just extremely rude. Apart from merch staff they are always the sweetest people. The first and second concerts I went to here were managed perfectly and went smoothly but the third one was such a bad experience it genuinely ruined the whole concert for me. Me and my friend waited in line for 5 and a half hours. 😐 There were 5 lines and security let 3 girls (who got to the line in the morning then left the whole day so they only waited maybe 2 hours total) let 11 of their friends cut into the front of the line half an hour before the concert started and when at least 10-20 people complained security did nothing, then 2 of the girls who cut in tickets didnt work (looked like they didnt buy them on ticketmaster) and instead of security moving them aside and dealing with it, they kept the girls at the front of the line for well over a minute while all the 4 other lines let in hundreds of people, once we actually got in the venue we got a very bad spot in the pit, which I blame completely on security and those girls. Terrible rude...

My first time EVER here on the 17th this month & so disgusted. Concerts artist was amazing but door staff were rude & unhelpful when my ticket failed to scan the first time. The door staff treated me super aggressively & I’m a young solo woman so I felt intimidated to say the least. They also didn't accept cash payments so I was unable to purchase any food or drink onsite the entire 4 hours (this was not advertised prior) & I was threatened with physical violence by multiple security staff, multiple times whenever I asked them for HELP over/around the barriers as I’m legally blind 😭 really couldn’t see a thing & I genuinely cried half of the show as I was LOST!! A terrifying experience for someone gradually losing vision. I went alone because I assumed as it was indoors it would be well managed. Walking in the stands was dangerous as there’s no floor lights, one wrong step down & it would’ve hurt. Toilets clean enough & they have free wifi onsite-I’m just definitely not coming back here no matter who’s coming to play, I’d rather fly to another location entirely. No smoking rule wasn't enforced but they had time to threaten a blind girl in a pink skirt with pigtails 🙄 Truly saddening experience for all the good I’d heard before. I suggest sensitivity training because not all disabilities are VISIBLE. Just because I’m Able bodied doesn’t mean I don’t...