Council’s extra $14.5m for Cup
Auckland Council has approved additional funding of $14.5 million for the America’s Cup, but not before some councillors voiced concerns over the added cost to ratepayers for a “rich man’s sport”.
Councillors voted yesterday at an extraordinary meeting of the governing body for the extra money with dissenting votes from Mike Lee, Efeso Collins, John Watson and Wayne Walker.
The vote comes two days after the Government provided an additional $22.5m to build the infrastructure on the Auckland waterfront for the 36th defence of the cup in 2021.
Auckland ratepayers’ contribution to the cup has risen from $98.5m to $113m and taxpayers’ contribution from $114m to $136.5m.
The additional funds follow higher-thanforecast costs for wave breaks and dredging work. Tina Symmans, who is chairing the company running the cup event in Auckland, agreed “absolutely” with a suggestion from Mayor Phil Goff that the cup would be in jeopardy if the Government and council did meet the extra costs.
In a presentation to the meeting, Symmans and Team New Zealand chief operating officer Kevin Shoebridge talked about the benefits of the cup to Auckland, including the creation of jobs, spending by more than 100 superyachts and companies like Southern Spars with an order book for 13 masts at $1m each.
Councillor Josephine Bartley was concerned about the benefits of the cup reaching people like a kapa haka group in Glen Innes. Manukau councillor Efeso Collins was also concerned about how the cup may bypass people in South Auckland.
Councillor Mike Lee said the America’s Cup is the sport of billionaires for billionaires.
“It won’t be the end. I’m getting off the bus here. I’m not going to support another cent for the America’s Cup,” Lee said.
Most of the 8000 new jobs and $600m to $1 billion of forecast economic benefit would occur in Auckland, Goff said.