Nevil Gibson | Tuesday September 10, 2013
The budget numbers may be suspect and the winning race yet to be held but the economic benefits of another Auckland-based defence of America’s Cup are already exciting transport, city planning and marine industry advocates.
Auckland Council-controlled Waterfront Auckland has already identified as many as six locations at the western end of Viaduct Harbour, where a new precinct known as the Wynyard Quarter is being developed. Planners have started thinking about where the team compounds and a race village would be located in the lead-up to 2017, when the next defence is scheduled.
Commentators have started talking up the city’s ability to stage the event, which most believe will benefit from facilities and experience from earlier Cup defences as well as those left from the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
“One of the big advantages will be the chance to use the event to accelerate the development of our waterfront,” says independent Auckland transport blogger Matt Lowrie.
“It must be remembered how important that development was in starting the process of rejuvenating our waterfront and city centre,” he says.
Developments being considered are a race village at Queens Wharf – which now houses The Cloud events centre and the Shed 10 cruise terminal – as well as a new marina at Westhaven, a sheltered compound at the tip of Wynyard Quarter, Wynyard Wharf, a wharf extension to Halsey St and Captain Cook Wharf.
The existing Viaduct Harbour, which hosted the 2000 and 2003 defences, is no longer available due to other development, including an events centre and plans for a hotel.
“Without the previous hosting of the America’s Cup would we have pushed to develop the Viaduct area or would it have been left even longer languishing as a wasteland. Without it would we even be discussing the sorts of waterfront plans we are today? Without the Rugby World Cup would we have pushed along Wynyard so much or would it have happened at a much slower rate?” Mr Lowrie asks
He singles out improvements to Queens Wharf, Quay St and the completion the tram link to Britomart.
Keep out central government
Planning expert Joel Cayford says Auckland must avoid central government stepping in, as it did in the Rugby World Cup, and imposing another piece of “empowering legislation” with a cabinet minister in charge,
“Auckland needs to get organised, plan for this possible future, and show that it can indeed organise a piss-up in its own brewery,” he says, instead of “building another pile of embarrassing legacy infrastructure.”
Like Mr Lowrie, he has a wishlist of improvements:
• A more or less pedestrianised Quay Street;
• A light rail (tram) link between Wynyard Quarter and Queen St;
• Vastly improved public amenity and places on Princes Wharf (consistent with consent permit conditions); and • Pedestrian priority access across Quay St to Princes Wharf and Queens Wharf.
Marine industry’s role
Meanwhile, the marine industry is eager to talk up its role.
Its advocate, Peter Busfield, says: “There is no doubt that the America’s Cup and all that the regatta represents, sporting-wise and commercially, has played a significant role in highlighting and developing New Zealand’s marine sector over the past 25 years.”
He has told a briefing in San Francisco that 44 Kiwi marine companies – plus others outside the marine sector – have contributed hundreds of thousands of man-hours, innovation and design skills to the yachts racing in the current series.
He says the cost of wages, supplies and tax generated have clearly generated considerable economic benefits to New Zealand’s marine sector and the country as a whole.
“The New Zealand government’s investment of $36 million in Emirates Team New Zealand’s campaign has been more than returned in direct tax revenue alone, not to mention the great profiling of New Zealand as a brand associated with world-leading technology,” Mr Busfield says.
As to the public costs of a Cup defence, the figure of $50-100 million cited by Waterfront Auckland chairman Sir Bob Harvey is entirely possible, given the further development that will occur in any case over time.
San Francisco’s experience
In San Francisco, the city has provided some $US22 million in waterfront renovations as well as building a new $US90 milllion cruise ship terminal and a 9000-seat viewing amphitheatre. An America’s Cup park was also built after a fire at Pier 29, one of the city’s major tourist attractions.
Locals say none of this would have occurred without the Cup being held. While the Cup promoters have been accused of over-selling how little it would cost the city and the benefits that would arise, the figures are still impressive: $US902 million in economic activity and about 6500 jobs.
The Cup has other spinoffs, not the least being Auckland Council’s tourism, events and economic development arm, ATEED, which in partnership with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has been showcasing New Zealand business expertise, tourism and hospitality.
“The America’s Cup and its global audience provides unique showcasing and opportunities for key Auckland industry sectors which will drive the region’s export-led economic growth and international tourism,” ATEED chief executive Brett O’Riley says.