Few venues hold the place in Aotearoa New Zealand’s sporting history that Eden Park does.
For more than a century, generations of Kiwis have celebrated victories, watched history unfold and gathered for moments they’ll never forget. From All Blacks Tests and international cricket to concerts, cultural celebrations and community events, Eden Park has become part of the country’s story.
Less well known is that organised sport has been played on the Eden Park site since 1900 — the same year OCS was founded.
Now, more than 125 years later, those two stories have come together.
OCS New Zealand has secured the contract to provide cleaning services across New Zealand’s national stadium, supporting one of the country’s busiest and most recognised venues.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people pass through Eden Park’s gates. What they don’t see is the work that happens before they arrive, after they leave, and every day in between.
On a typical weekday, around seven OCS colleagues are onsite helping maintain the presentation of the stadium. When Eden Park hosts a major sporting fixture or concert, that team can grow to more than 200 people, working together to prepare the venue for crowds of up to 60,000.
Every event is different. An All Blacks Test presents different challenges to a sold-out concert. Corporate hospitality, community events and international sport each require their own approach, with different crowd movements, turnaround times and presentation requirements. Behind the scenes, careful planning, experienced colleagues, and smart technology help teams adjust their service delivery to suit each event while maintaining consistently high standards, whether supporting day-to-day operations or preparing for 60,000 visitors.
For OCS Australia & New Zealand Managing Director Gareth Marriott, the appointment reflects the trust customers place in specialist facilities services providers that understand complex venues.
“Large venues like Eden Park demand experience, flexibility and people who know how to work at scale. Every event creates different operational requirements, so our approach has to be flexible too. We plan around the venue’s event calendar, scale our teams accordingly and tailor our services to meet the different demands each event brings.
“Visitors may never notice the work that goes into preparing the venue, and that’s exactly how it should be. Our role is to help create an environment where fans, athletes, performers, tenants and the wider community can simply enjoy the experience.”
That approach also extends to the people delivering the service. Colleagues who have been supporting Eden Park for many years continue to do so under OCS, providing continuity for the venue while becoming part of a business that invests in learning, technology and long-term career development. Combined with insights from OCS’s global venue experience, it creates a strong platform for continuous improvement while retaining the local knowledge that is so valuable in a complex environment.
The partnership builds on OCS’s experience supporting major venues and high-profile environments across New Zealand and internationally, where presentation, safety and customer experience all go hand in hand.
Eden Park Chief Executive Officer Nick Sautner says every detail contributes to the experience people have at New Zealand’s national stadium.
“Eden Park is New Zealand’s national stadium, and every detail matters when we welcome fans, teams, artists, partners and communities through our gates.
“OCS brings global capability, sector expertise and a strong understanding of venues and events, while also ensuring continuity through many of the familiar faces who already know our venue so well. We look forward to working together to continue presenting Eden Park at its best.”
With an expanding calendar of international sporting events, business events, community activities, and up to 32 concerts each year, Eden Park continues to evolve. The ability to scale services quickly, while maintaining the same standards day after day, will be central to the partnership.
For OCS, this is more than another contract.
It is an opportunity to help care for one of New Zealand’s most recognised places, supporting the experiences of every person who walks through its gates.
More than 125 years after both journeys began, it is a partnership built on shared history, experience and a commitment to making people and places the best they can be.
