Shift cup focus: mayor

Auckland: Auckland’s focus and spending needs to be on housing and transport, not the America’s Cup, Auckland’s mayor says.

Phil Goff says while ‘‘some assistance’’ to host the event will be offered, the days of central and local government picking up the tab for the America’s Cup are over.

Beneficiaries from hosting the competition — such as Team New Zealand sponsors, the marine industry, hospitality and tourism companies — should contribute the lion’s share of costs for the event, he said.