ASB Baypark's exclusion from hosting Chiefs games this Super 15 season is catalysing discussion about a new purpose-built stadium for the city.

Mayor Stuart Crosby has this week advocated for a new stadium to be built at the city's Wharepai Domain with a 15,000 – 18,000 seat capacity.

Mayor Stuart Crosby wants a new city stadium on the agenda for discussion.

He says the discussion needs to be had over the city's need for a premier stadium as part of the rejuvenation of the central business district.

'We don't have a premier ground in Tauranga,” says Stuart.

'We are the sixth largest city in New Zealand and we miss out on a lot because we don't have that facility.”

Baypark last year missed out on rights to host any of the Chiefs games in 2014 due to the lack of a suitable ground. The games instead will go to Taranaki after the franchise moved from the Hurricanes to the Chiefs.

Long-time stadium advocate Terry Leaming – known as Hori BOP - has been pushing for an alternative rugby venue redevelopment for years.

Terry has been a single issue candidate at recent council elections, calling for the redevelopment of the city's domain as a premier rugby venue.

But during this year's Mayoral campaign, Terry says it became clear the $50million required to build a main stand at the domain is unattainable due to the city's debt. He instead proposed moving the speedway to the All-Terrain Park and re-establishing ASB Baypark as a stand-alone stadium.

The Mayor says the lower fields at the domain could be used, with the potential to shift the re-locatable seating from Baypark to the Domain.

What he wants assessed as part of the discussion is how a stadium can link in with the other major central city projects under consideration; the university campus, the international hotel and the conference centre.

'I made an election promise, which I intend to keep to ensure, that there is a rejuvenated CBD,” says Stuart.

'That's critical for our city and so again the feasibility study needs to identify what type of events could be utilised there to support people after the event, going into the CBD.”

He says the stadium could be used locally, sub-regionally, regionally and nationally – it wouldn't be built just for the occasional All Blacks game.

'That's the last thing it would be built for,” says Stuart.

As part of the public conversation Stuart wants a feasibility group to explore all the options, before a decision is made to proceed or not.

'You can't talk about economic development and not provide facilities for events. Events are very low hanging fruit for economic growth development, but to get money into the city for events you actually need facilities. They go hand-in-hand.”

Baypark was never intended to be a premier venue, says Stuart.

'It's a speedway track with a bit of grass in the middle, and people aren't utilising it because it's just not up to standard. That's why we need to have this conversation.”

He's supported by former Chiefs CEO and now Bay Leisure and Events Ltd CEO, Gary Dawson.

Gary was also involved in the development of Hamilton's International Stadium, and says they are expensive.

'As a city we have to understand what are the advantages and costs associated with them,” says Gary.

'I think one of the things that is pretty clear is if you can attract big events to the city - whether it be at a football stadium or the ASB Arena or in a park or whatever - the economic multiplier effect on the city is very positive.

'So it's not just about looking at the stadium as stand-alone, it's got to be tied with all these other projects and it's the wider economic benefits it brings to the city that's important.”

If Tauranga wants to attract top quality football, and he includes rugby, rugby league and soccer, Gary says ASB Baypark no longer meets the needs of the high level professional teams.

Bringing ASB Baypark up to standard would be an expensive exercise, and the fans will still be too far away, because of the stock car track between the playing field and the grandstands.

Palmerston North stands some of the spectators on the stock car track, but it's a lot narrower than ASB Baypark, and it is perhaps not as intensively used as ASB Baypark by stock car events, the monster trucks and concerts.

Tauranga needs the debate, says Gary.

'Does Tauranga need specialist football stadium? Where does it go? If it is a priority how do we go about funding it? Where should it be located? All questions that have to be looked at.

'The Chiefs have made it pretty clear it's just not suitable for Super Rugby games. When you are competing with other stadia to get the Phoenix and the Warriors here that's going to be increasingly more difficult. As New Zealand attracts events like the Fifa World Cup and you have got a Lions tour coming up, Tauranga is going to miss out if we don't have a stadium.”

The Taranaki Rugby Football Union, which is moving from the Hurricanes to the Chiefs in 2014, will host two Chiefs matches in Taranaki – against The Blues on May 9 and the Waratahs on May 31.

As a result there will be no games in Tauranga and only a pre-season match at the Rotorua International Stadium on February 14.

The Chiefs are scheduled to play home games at Waikato Stadium on March 1, 14, April 19, May 3, and July 4. The venues for the play-offs, semis and finals are not yet set.