Wellington loses permanent sevens bid

BY DAVE BURGESS

Last updated 05:00 06/02/2010

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Fans on the way to the 2010 Wellington Sevens.

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Liam Townsend, Nic Lawton, Andrew Eastwood, Joe Fiu, and Danny Morgan

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Auckland and Dunedin are trying to poach the NZI Sevens after Wellington city officials failed in a proposal to host the $15.6 million event permanently.

Wellington's contract to host the two-day party event, part of the International Rugby Board's sevens world series, expires after next year's event.

Wellington City Council met New Zealand Rugby Union officials to seek permanent hosting rights.

Mayor Kerry Prendergast said that, after 10 successful years, this made sense. "But the rugby union told us there was regional pressure [from other cities to host the sevens] and they wanted to go through the tender process, which is usual business practice."

The issue is complicated further by the sevens' inclusion in the 2016 Olympics. The IRB was reviewing the structure of the sevens world series, including how many tournaments were held and at what time of the year, Ms Prendergast said.

Bids for hosting rights from 2012 are expected from Auckland and Dunedin, both of which will have new stadiums ready for next year's Rugby World Cup.

Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive David Perks said losing the sevens would be a blow.

"Alongside the World of WearableArt, it is one of the two core events we have that are different to what other places in New Zealand have, so it is extremely important."

It was worth $15.6 million to the local economy every year, he said.

Dunedin Venues Management chief executive David Davies said the city had a plot to poach the sevens and hold the event at its new 30,000-capacity Forsyth Barr Stadium.

It would involve a week of activities either side of the two-day rugby festival. "We have an indoor stadium [with a roof]. For some competitors that would be attractive.

"The issue is about keeping the event fresh. Wellington has a tremendous reputation down here, but we think we can add something extra."

A consultant for the new Dunedin stadium is Wellington concert promoter Phil Sprey. But he said the biggest threat would come from Auckland and its remodelled Eden Park, with permanent seating for 50,000 fans – about 15,000 more than Wellington can offer.

"It's the bums-on-seats numbers that is going to sway it."

Auckland Mayor John Banks said Wellington had been a great host city but, if the tournament were up for grabs, "we would certainly have a run at it" – but only because he could not bear the thought of Dunedin getting it.

But Wellington Rugby Football Union chief executive Greg Peters said selling every seat at Eden Park would be "a big assumption".

Wellington had excelled at making both the players and fans happy. "There are huge risks trying to replicate that in another centre ... for logistical reasons and for the way fans have adopted the Wellington tournament and made it what it is today. It is New Zealand's biggest party weekend."

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Wellington would put in a bid to keep the tournament once any new requirements for it beyond 2012 were clarified by the IRB.

- © Fairfax NZ News