Mark Orams: sailing professor floats the idea of the America's Cup returning to Auckland

Auckland has expressed interest towards Emirates Team New Zealand around returning the next America's Cup defence to the City of Sails.

Tataki Auckland Unlimited have confirmed they are in talks around potentially hosting the 38th edition, likely to be held in 2027.

Sailing professor Mark Orams says the interest is there, but it requires investment from multiple key partners. 

"What is the return on investment - and can we be confident that it's worth the investment for the greater good of New Zealand, and Auckland, specifically?"

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're a news talksb Auckland put its hand up for
hosting rights for the thirty eighth America's Cup. Auckland Unlimited
says it's been talking with Emirates team in New Zealand
about bringing the race home. Bars alone is also just
reported almost two billion dollars in positive impact from hosting
the game, with Mark Worhams as a sailing professor. Mark
good evening, Are there, ran, how likely is this really?

(00:21):
Do you think?

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Well? I suppose it's a lot less likely than it
was a few months ago when it appeared to be
dead in the water the opportunity for Auckland to host
the next America's Cup. So the fact that there's at
least a chance from the sailing community perspective, I think
there's a lot of excitement about the possibility, even if
it still remains I think in most people's minds a

(00:45):
relatively remote one.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Of course, the funding is the biggest she always has been,
and it'll need central government, it'll need counsel money, it'll
need private money, and you've got Wayne Brown and Auckland
saying he needs the bed tax to get this done,
and then the government it's reluctant to do that. I mean,
how do you think that plays out?

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, I think you've put your finger on it is
that it does require significant investment from a range of
partners who've all got to come together and say we
think collectively this is worth doing. And while there's a
pretty impressive number that's come out of the study from
the hosting in Barcelona, I think many people, including myself,
see those sorts of numbers with some sort of skepticism.

(01:27):
You can often calculate multiplier effects and so on to
tell the story that you want to. So what really
needs to be considered here in the potential of government
and in the end taxpayer and rate payer money going
into support an event like this is what is the
return on that investment? And can we be confident that

(01:49):
it's worth the investment for the greater good of New
Zealand and Auckland more specifically.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, good point, Mark, And can we be confident in
the actual assessments that are done to termine that as well?

Speaker 3 (02:01):
Mark?

Speaker 1 (02:01):
Thank you. Mark Orm's sailing professor with us on the
prospects of the America's Cup returning to New Zealand twenty
after five.

Speaker 3 (02:08):
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