Games have benefits for other events

Hosting the South Island Masters Games will help Nelson prepare for life after the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the head of the Tasman Regional Sports Trust says.

The city has been awarded the hosting rights for the 2011 and 2013 South Island Masters Games, which are expected to draw at least 3000 athletes to the region each time to compete in about 50 competitive and social sports.

The 2011 event is scheduled to begin 18 days after Nelson hosts Italy and the United States in a Rugby World Cup pool match.

Tasman Regional Sports Trust chief executive Nigel Muir said that as well as capitalising on the hype of the World Cup, hosting the Masters Games would provide further invaluable experience in hosting large-scale events.

"The challenge of thinking what's beyond the Rugby World Cup in terms of big sporting events is also one that we've been thinking long and hard about at the trust.

"Once you go through the pain of cutting your teeth and learning all the ins and outs of hosting big sports events, you just don't want to put all of that knowledge back on ice. You want to learn from that."

Having facilities such as Saxton Field and Saxton Stadium, as well as a variety of natural attractions for active people, would help Nelson show the rest of New Zealand what it had to offer, Mr Muir said.

"We've talked long about the potential that the wonderful facilities such as Saxton offer this community, and it's wonderful that so soon we will have an opportunity to flex our muscle, so to speak."

With the Nelson Arts Festival on around the same time, it would allow the sport and arts communities to work together, he said. "Sometimes they can be at loggerheads, but working together for the good of the region I think is just wonderful news."

Nelson Tasman Tourism chief executive Paul Davis said Nelson was ready to host the event, with the economic analysis for the Rugby World Cup indicating that there were enough visitor beds.

"The value of these events is significant from an economic return point of view."

Games communications manager Ken Dunning said the 2007 event in Christchurch brought about $1.3 million to the local economy.

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