Am Cup costs approved

The green light has been given for construction of an America’s Cup village, with Auckland councillors yesterday approving the council’s share of a $29 million cost increase. Some councillors opposed or were unhappy with the extra $14.5m needed from ratepayers and insisted it be taken from other city centre plans. Had councillors rejected the extra funding, the Government’s share would also have lapsed, halting preparations to start building the base areas. The Cup Village project will cost $152m to build, creating eight bases across Wynyard Wharf, the Viaduct Events Centre and an extended Hobson Wharf. The first teams are expected to be set up in Auckland for the summer of 2019/20.