Viv Beck: Heart of the City CEO on New Zealand dropping its bid to host the America's Cup

An Auckland Central business group says the Government has missed a golden opportunity for growth by not funding the America's Cup.  

Central Government refused to give any funding to the 2027 edition of the race.  

Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck says the bars, restaurants, tourist spots and hotels would have benefited immensely.  

She told Andrew Dickens the event is ripe for the picking, as we have the infrastructure already, and the economic benefits would be there. 

Beck says they understand the Government has other priorities, but with imagination, will, and determination, there could’ve been a different result. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, we're not getting the America's Cup orkand Unlimited
yesterday announced it's not going any further because the government
won't put any money in seventy five million. They say,
how did the city CEO of Beck joins me? Now? Hi,
VICV Hello. A lot of people, a lot of people
upset about the same golden opportunity wasted. Do you believe that?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Yeah? Well, yes, that's exactly what we said. To be honest,
it is a not golden opportunity list, but.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
It's seventy five million dollars and we are poor right now?
What do you say to that?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
But remember when we spoke a few weeks ago, I
talked about how much effort has gone into raising the
importance of major event and alternative forms of funding. So
I think the biggest disappointment is that there has been
from us and many others of significant effort gone into
saying that we do need to find alternative ways. Suggestions

(00:49):
were made, and this opportunity. The reason it's so disappointing
is it's right for the picking. I mean, we've got
the infrastructure, the economic benefits would be there, and if
they had been quicker action on finding alternative funding, I mean,
we understand that there are other priorities of government, but
growth is also a big opportunity, a big priority, and

(01:11):
you know the reality is that the GST alone could
pay for that money. So I think with some imagination
and will and determination it would have been it could
have been a different result.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
And it's not just an auckland and a sailing, you
know topic. Steve ARMATAGM Hospitality in New Zealand says we
need a nationwide strategy to attract events instead of our
piecemeal region by regional approach or event by event approach.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Do you agree absolutely? I mean, I think the look,
we've got a lot of great work going on in
that space, and there's a lot of expertise. So I
don't want to knock the work that is done for
the limited funding. But we know we don't compete internationally
now often we don't. We're a small country. We get that.
But I think we do have to have the energy

(01:54):
and drive and will to try and find ways to
actually grow this because you know we do. Events are
a great way of attracting people here. It's not just
a one time wonder that people come and have a
great time. I mean the benefits from CRADE and jobs,
international profile. You look at Barcelona, I mean, imagine if

(02:15):
we had that in twenty twenty seven, something along those lines,
at a part where we really do need to have
something that actually excites people, that we actually are growing
and not just full of problems.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
VeVe Beck and I thank you so much for getting
up earlier.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
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