America's Cup: NZ Government and ETNZ in awkward dance over 38th Match venue
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 21 Oct 2024 12:02 UTC
Part of the 20,000 fans who filled the Viaduct Harbour area for the 2021 America's Cup © Richard Gladwell / Sail-World.com / nz
With the America's Cup still wet with victory champagne, the topic of New Zealand potential hosting the 38th Defence of the America's Cup arose during the weekly Prime Minister's Media Conference on Monday afternoon (NZT), in Wellington.
The NZ Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, who heads a coalition government of three parties, opened the session by congratulating several NZ sports teams who achieved significant success over the weekend
Responding to questions over the hosting of the 38th America's Cup was that they would entertain a proposal from the team, and that he wanted the matter quickly resolved.
He made it clear that Emirates Team NZ would have to submit a proposal for the hosting of the event in New Zealand. Interviewed last week in Barcelona, Emirates Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton made it equally clear that they would have to receive an approach from the NZ Government, not the other way around.
"It's a feat of New Zealand sportsmanship, and you're seeing at its very best, it's a great showcase of New Zealand's technology. But ultimately, that will be a decision for Team New Zealand to make.
"We're happy to entertain any proposal that they wish to put to us. I just do acknowledge, however, that it's really tough times for New Zealand as well, and so we'd have to weigh that up against all the other things that we want to be able to do and to be able to deliver for New Zealanders," said the former Air NZ CEO.
"It's going to be up to Team New Zealand to determine where the Cup is actually held, and we would be open to receiving a proposal from it.
"It's important to make sure we move through that process pretty quickly and give everybody clarity.
"Having observed the conversations in past years, I think it's Team New Zealand's decision about where it gets held, they put a Proposal to us, and the government will genuinely give it some consideration in light of other priorities that we have."
Last week in interviews with the New Zealand media in Barcelona, Emirates Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton made it clear that any approach would have to come from the NZ Government, side-stepping the unedifying situation after the 2021 America's Cup win, where Team New Zealand's price tag on the hosting, were dressed up as "demands" by main stream media, engineering an acrimonious debate.
The NZ political landscape has changed since March 2021, with the then Labour Government being voted out in the 2023 General Election,. They lost most of their seats in Auckland which was in lockdown for 185days, including the period of the 2021 America's Cup. Entry into New Zealand was prohibited during the period of the Lockdowns - with only some team members and officials being allowed to cross the border. Those who did enter were required to spend two weeks, locked in a hotel room in isolated military supervision for 23 hours a day for 14 days before release. The episode had a huge impact on the economic benefits that should have emanated from the regatta and surrounding events.
The Auckland Mayoralty has also been changed, with the current Mayor Wayne Brown, a sailor and long-time boat owner and member of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron, has transformed a previously dysfunctional Auckland Council.
The now Opposition Leader, Chris Hipkins, today, and last week has supported Government support for the Hosting of the America's Cup in Auckland. The former Prime Minister in the Labour Government from 1999-2008, and is now Patron of Emirates Team New Zealand, and was in Barcelona for the 2024 America's Cup. She has said on several occasions that New Zealand should be hosting the 38th America's Cup.
If there is an impasse over who makes the first move over the Auckland hosting a likely match-maker could be Simon Bridges, a former National Party leader, highly respected Government Minister, who now heads up the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.
Meanwhile Auckland Council is in a planning process for the future use of Wynyard Point, the reclaimed land which was turned from being a fuel and hazardous substances area into hard stand for America's Cup bases. Emirates Team New Zealand has taken over the lease on the former INEOS Britannia base and has vacated their former base in the Viaduct Events Centre. The proposal for the area formerly occupied by two America's Cup teams, and the large marina area, flanked by cafe's and bars, is to be redeveloped into planted open coastal space.
The indicative time line for initial construction to start is "at the end of 2024".
SailGP Auckland will operate out of the area next January, with the Auckland Boat Show to follow. Premium waterfront tickets have sold out, three months in advance of the New Zealand SailGP event.