Chris Simpson: Major Events Group Founding Director on New Zealand abandoning the bid to host the America's Cup

Central and local government are being challenged to work together to attract major events.  

The bid for Auckland to host the next America's Cup in 2027 has been abandoned after central government refused to put money up for it.  

Major Events Group Founding Director Chris Simpson says New Zealand could host great events if the investment is there.  

He told Mike Hosking it's something that needs strong collaboration.  

Simpson says the events can't go ahead if cities are keen but the Government's not. 

He says New Zealand isn't going to be able to pull in huge amounts of money like the Middle East, and we can't just rely on good will.  

Simpson says we have a track record of holding great events but that just doesn't cut it anymore. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So no America's Cup in New Zealand. Again, it was
potentially a three way Auckland, private and central government coming
to the party. Central was the letdown. They don't have
the money. So that was that. Major Events Group founding
director Chris Simpson with us. Chris, very good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning Mike.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
As profoundly disappointed as you may well be. I had
zero expectation a deal was ever going to be made.
Did you honestly think it was possible?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Now? I was probably a bit similar to you. Really,
I knew kind of the level of investment in the
current sort of position that the government has and the
challenges that we're sort of facing in the major ete space.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, although seventy five million, the government of quoting seventy
five million, whether that's Acura or not, who would know.
But seventy five million spread over several years. It's hardly
big Bucks, is it. It's a couple of million dollars
a month.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
It's hardly big Bucks compared to other countries and not
they're investing in major of eats started as big Bucks
for New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Do we have the poor man's syndrome at the moment,
we feel poor, we act poor, therefore we are poor.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
I think, well, I'm a little bit biased, but I
think we actually do currently. Like obviously we can't take
on the Middle East and what they're investing in major events,
but when you see our neighbors across the ditch and
what they're spending on major events. We are in a
space where we've historically hosted world class events and we've
managed to get through over that time just because we've

(01:23):
got a great track record and delivering world class events.
But that doesn't sort of cut it anymore, and almost
as an assumption that we're going to win major events
as a rite without sort of significant levels of investment.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
We've got to get out there and get them. So
does this need to be national? Is that part of
the problem? National? Be local? So it's always you know,
it's Auckland or Wellington or christ Church versus the government.
Does this need to be run from head officer to
speak or not?

Speaker 2 (01:47):
I think, look, at the end of the day, we're
a tiny country, so we need to work together on
the world stage to really go after events that we
think are really good fit for the country. But really,
you know, we all have the same strategy in mind
and what we're going after and what's relevant to New
Zealand and what reinforces our brand fillers and all that
sort of stuff. So I think, you know, we do

(02:08):
need to sort of hunt as a pack. We're not
going to get it if the government's not under something
and the city is. And then of course we've got
the challenge of regional dispersal because outside of couple of
cities there's very little major events funding sitting and some
of the smaller agents.

Speaker 1 (02:24):
Yeah, you've got to want it, basically, don't you. Chris
appreciate you're inside Christenson, who's the Major Events Group funding director.
I also wonder if there's a little bit of something
about the America's Cup individually as an event. There's the
Ankst flu Ride, vaccine mandates and Grant Dalton. They'll get
you going every time. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast,
listen live to news talks. It'd be from six am weekdays,

(02:48):
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