Loren Aberhart: Christchurch NZ Head of Destination and Attraction on the unlikeliness of the city hosting a second Commonwealth Games

A second Commonwealth Games in Christchurch is unlikely for now. 

Mayor Phil Mauger requested a report on the viability of bidding for the event on the 50th anniversary of the 1974 edition's opening ceremony. 

It recommends Christchurch doesn't host a standalone event until a national bid is considered. 

Christchurch NZ's Head of Destination and Attraction, Loren Aberhart told Mike Hosking there's accommodation and transport constraints associated with hosting, and many extra costs. 

She says the city would need to invest in sporting infrastructure that it doesn't need in the long term. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Christ Church, speaking of events, has been looking into the
possibility of hosting the Commonwealth Games. Turns out doesn't look
like they're going to be able to do it. Christchurch,
New Zealand's General manager of Destination and Attraction, Lauren Aberhart,
is with U Lauren, very good morning to.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
You morning Matte.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
While we're on this tourism think you had a view
one hundred dollars. Is that a problem or not? Oh?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Look, we don't want to dispel as it is, but
traveling long haul is obviously a high cost anyway, and
I think getting some funding out of those visitors is
a good thing. And we just want to know what
that funding will be spent on. And that's what we're
not clear on some central.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Government right this reportant the Commonwealth Games. Basically it says
could be done, but probably more nationally than locally. Is
that fair? Yes?

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Absolutely?

Speaker 1 (00:42):
And so what's wrong with christ Church slash the region?
Is it facilities? Is it hotels?

Speaker 2 (00:48):
What is it? I think there's a little bit of
constraints from accommodation and transport, but also it is quite
cost prohibitive. Would need to be investing in significant additional
sporting infrastructure that we don't necessarily need long term and
so a national bid makes a lot more sense. The
legacy artcomes can be spread across the country. We're quite
a small country and the scheme of things, so it's

(01:09):
just better to spread that benefit and that cost across
New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Would you have before the report have said that in
your gut when the mayor got all excited, that was.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Our likely feeling, But we had a fantastic conversation where
we said, well, let's look at it and then see
what else we might be able to do with a
similar size and scale that is perhaps more fit for
purpose for the city. So it was a great opportunity
to do that.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
So that's one of the themes. Do the smallert stuff,
and in doing the smaller stuff you build a foundation
over time for the biggert stuff. Is that what we're
learning here?

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Absolutely? So we're looking to build up a pathway of
international and national sporting events that will eventually put us
on the world stage and be able to host things
like the Commonwealth Games as we become more mature and
build both our population and our infrastructure.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
And does it matter because the con Games, i'd tell
you is sort of dying a death at the moment.
Does it matter to a city where whe it's got
a sort of a buzz or a fizz to it,
or is it just the fact if you can get
an event with people, officials and athletes, that's your calling
card as opposed to whether anyone's interested outside of that. No.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
I think there's multiple benefits that include more participation in sport, broadcast,
showcasing your destination and things like becom Wealth Games do
do that. What we want to do though, is make
sure that anything that we're investing in is long term
and sustainable, and that was really where we landed with
the Commwalth Games. We're reviewing the sustainability of their delivery

(02:35):
model at the moment, and so it's not really a
good time for us to be considering an old model
of the common Wealth Games when they may have a
completely new model in the future.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Fantastic, Lauren, appreciate the insight. Lauren Alberhart, general manager of
Destination and Attraction for christ to New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast. Listen live to
news talks there'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.