The Base (shopping centre) facts for kids
| Location | Hamilton, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Address | Cnr Te Rapa Road & Avalon Drive, Te Rapa |
| Opening date | 2005 |
| Owner | Tainui Group Holdings (50%) Kiwi Property Group (50%) |
| No. of stores and services | 172 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 9 |
| Total retail floor area | 81,000 sq m |
| Website | https://www.kiwiproperty.com/the-base/ |
The Base is a large shopping centre in Hamilton, a city in New Zealand. It's located in an area called Te Rapa. This shopping centre has two main parts: an older outdoor area and a newer indoor mall called Te Awa.
Contents
History of The Base Shopping Centre
Land's Past Life
The land where The Base stands today has a long history. It traditionally belonged to the Waikato-Tainui people, who are a Māori iwi (tribe). Before World War II, the New Zealand government (called the Crown) took this land. They used it to build the Te Rapa Air Force Base. This is where the shopping centre gets its name. The Air Force base closed down in 1992.
In 1995, the land was given back to the Waikato-Tainui tribe. This was part of a special agreement called the Raupatu settlement. This agreement helped to fix past wrongs where Māori land was taken unfairly. The land is now held under a special title named after Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the first Māori king. This means the land can never be sold by the tribe.
Building the Mall
In 2002, Tainui Group Holdings, a company owned by the Waikato-Tainui tribe, announced a big plan. They wanted to build a large shopping area. It would cover over 60,000 square metres. This project was expected to cost $50 million.
They needed permission from the local council to build it. The council agreed to the plans. However, some people did not like the idea. They challenged the council's decision in court. This caused delays for about a year. But the courts allowed the project to go ahead. Work finally started in August 2004.
Partnerships and Growth
In 2002, The Warehouse Group (TWG) joined the project. They are a big retail company in New Zealand. They agreed to open one of their largest stores at The Base. This store was also the first to use their new store design.
Later, The Warehouse Group and Tainui Group Holdings worked together. They formed a joint company to run the mall. But in 2007, Tainui Group Holdings bought out The Warehouse Group's share. This meant Tainui Group Holdings owned the entire mall.
Special Carved Poles
At the heart of The Base, you can see three important carved poles, called pou. Each pou tells a part of the land's story:
- The first pou represents the traditional guardians of the land.
- The second pou remembers the time when the Royal New Zealand Air Force was there.
- The third pou shows the present day. It represents the tribe's modern growth and future.
In 2012, The Base design won a silver medal. This was at the Asia Pacific Shopping Centre Awards in China.
Ownership and Value
The Base was once fully owned by Tainui Group Holdings. This company manages the assets for the Waikato-Tainui tribe. The shopping centre was valued at over $250 million.
In 2016, a company called Kiwi Property Group bought a share. They invested $192.5 million to own 50% of The Base. This investment showed that the property was worth $385 million in total at that time.
