Mayor Phil Goff pleads with Team NZ to defend America's Cup in Auckland — ‘Please reciprocate’

March 18, 2021

The Auckland Mayor says the city has backed the team and provided it with infrastructure.

As Kiwi America’s Cup fans continue to celebrate after yesterday’s clinical Team New Zealand win over Luna Rossa, Phil Goff is looking ahead to the cup’s defence, and wants it to be hosted in Auckland again. 

The Auckland Mayor told the team: “We’ve given you the support, we’ve provided you with the infrastructure, please reciprocate.”

Last month, news emerged Team NZ had created a document enticing potential host cities around the world to bid for the next regatta. In the document, hosts were told they’d be required to pay a hosting fee, cover operating costs and deliver required infrastructure. 

Auckland Council had invested $113 million in the regatta. 

“Yeah, they’ve got to look at the business considerations. That’s the reality of the world. But I’m hoping they see this as something they’re doing for New Zealand as well,” Goff said. 

He said the city gave the team a “huge” home advantage. 

“The fact that Peter Burling, the day before yesterday, said the real advantage he had was he knew the course … those are huge advantages.”

Team NZ have created a document enticing potential host cities around the world to bid for the next regatta.

Goff said the regatta was money well spent, because the infrastructure developed for the event, which was “on time” and “under budget”, will be in Auckland “forever”. 

While Covid-19 had put a damper on international visitors for the event, it still showcased Auckland and New Zealand as a “paradise” away from the pandemic restrictions that many countries around the world were still under, Goff said. 

He said he is confident people will want to visit in the future after watching international coverage of the competition. 

The fact thousands of people from all walks of life had attended America’s Cup events also showed the series had wide appeal, he added.

“I was watching mature ladies dance like teenagers last night.”

SHARE ME

More Stories