City set to host World Cup party

Palmerston North will get a huge boost from the Rugby World Cup by hosting international teams, says Destination Manawatu chief executive Lance Bickford.

Tournament organisers announced yesterday that the city will host Argentina for a week during the 2011 event.. The city has also won the right to host the team that wins the Europe 1 round, for a week, and a playoff winner, for three days.

Argentina and the European team will be in the city between September 26 and October 2, and the playoff winner from September 26 to September 28. The teams will play at FMG Stadium.

Hosting the three teams is a huge boost to the city, says Destination Manawatu chief executive Lance Bickford.

"Argentina and the European winners for a week? That's going to give fantastic flavour to the festival events that will run around the World Cup matches."

The city has a budget of between $550,000 and $600,000 to celebrate Rugby World Cup. Palmerston North City Council has pledged $250,000, Manawatu District Council $45,000, with the rest of the money from corporate sponsors.

Mr Bickford envisaged a festival with one or two "big bang" events, and dozens of activities for the community to enjoy.

"It's to be fun. It's to be for our people. What we need now is ideas from the community about what people want to do.

"It's about creating party central around our games."

He was particularly pleased that Argentina had chosen Palmerston North.

"Argentina will also enjoy being here. They're staying at the Sports and Rugby Institute at Massey University. In my view, that's the best rugby training facility in the southern hemisphere and they'll never get better facilities for their build up," Mr Bickford said.

City council projects co-ordinator Jo Sutton led a team to attract teams to Palmerston North for training and games.

"We are just so happy about the result. Three teams coming here, it's a credit to all the hard work that's been done by so many people," she said. "The region will benefit so much from this."

Manawatu 2011 Rugby World Cup steering committee chairman Denis Jenkins said having three teams spend time in Palmerston North was a great result for the area.

"It's brilliant, this is a great outcome." The institute will be a training facility for Argentina for the week leading up to their match against the European qualifier on October 2.

- © Fairfax NZ News