Incoming Queenstown Lakes District Council boss Adam Feeley is pushing to get Queenstown on to the world stage as a host venue for matches in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

Although the former head of the Serious Fraud Office does not start the job as council chief executive until after Labour Weekend, he has spearheaded a move to have Queenstown included in the four-yearly international tournament, which will be hosted by Australia and New Zealand and have a TV audience of almost 100 million.

"This would be a great economic opportunity for Queenstown to host matches, and because it is such a stunning location that is number one on the list of many tourists, I think we would have a very realistic chance at hosting matches," he said. "We've got to figure out what the requirements would be and convince the Cricket World Cup organisers that we can meet them."

Before heading the Serious Fraud Office Mr Feeley was the chief executive in charge of transforming Auckland's Eden Park from a second-class test-match venue into the centrepiece of the 2011 Rugby World Cup - and the contacts he has could figure largely in negotiating Queenstown as a Cricket World Cup venue.

The council has submitted a letter of intent to the International Cricket Council and will make a submission to host matches and events in the 2015 tournament and hosting a match or matches in the 2014 Qualifying Tournament.

Since 2003 nine one-day international test matches have been played in Queenstown. New Zealand will play England there in March next year.

grant.bryant@stl.co.nz

- © Fairfax NZ News

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