America's Cup - Council Report says ETNZ base choice is a clear winner

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 21 Nov 2017 An Executive Summary in a Report to Auckland Council recommends approving three options for an Auckland America's Cup as a next step basis for negotiations with central Government and Emirates Team New Zealand.

The report calls for support of the option that emerged over the weekend - being a cluster of bases on Halsey Wharf, Hobson Wharf and Wynyard Wharf East. But in a points-based analysis, the Halsey Street extension option preferred by Emirates Team New Zealand and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is a clear winner by a significant margin.

It is also the most expensive, however the America's Cup is predicted to give a return to the Government of $4 for every dollar invested, and the Halsey Street extension has the best legacy return of all options.

The last Council meeting, just over two months after Emirates Team New Zealand won the America's Cup in Bermuda, showed there had been a complete lack of planning by the Council, over an extended period, to factor in an America's Cup win by Emirates Team New Zealand.

That was despite the fact that the Kiwi team had featured in every America's Cup Match for the past 22 years (except for the Deed of Gift Match in 2010), and was bound to win the Auld Mug at some stage.

At that September meeting, several Councillors tried voting on values rather than facts - in a move to get an extension to Halsey Street struck off the options list ahead of a full report from CEO Steven Town.

Mayor Phil Goff spoke strongly against the move saying he wanted an evidential based approach which covered all options so the Council could make an informed decision this coming Thursday.

The comprehensive report has certainly provided the analysis and evidence required. Whether it is considered objectively is another matter.

In the recommendations contained in the Executive Summary, the report recommends supporting the politically popular 'cluster of bases on Halsey Wharf, Hobson Wharf and Wynyard Wharf East'.

The other two options are a 'cluster of bases on the Western and Eastern side of Wynyard Wharf and Site 18', and the 'Halsey Street wharf extension' favoured by Emirates Team New Zealand and RNZYS.

However, buried in the report using a model where various factors are ranked across a wider list of options it is the Halsey Street extension which comes out as being clearly the superior of the three.

There are three substantive issues with the Halsey Street extension - the construction deadline is the tightest (18months); the risk of public opposition; and impacts on fishing vessels using Hobson and Halsey St wharves.

The level of public opposition would appear to be talked up by various lobbyist groups on the basis of their thwarting of Ports of Auckland's proposals to extend Bledisloe Wharf almost 100metres out into the Waitemata Harbour in 2015.

Those protests were heavily supported by the sailing community and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. That support does not exist for their current campaign of opposition, in fact, they now support the Emirates Team New Zealand preference for an integrated facility with a strong legacy use.

The option recommended for support by Council, has, according to the Report a significant number of issues - the construction involving multiple locations and stakeholders; proximity to bulk liquids industry increases risk; little legacy benefits; not supported by ETNZ due to water conditions on the Wynyard Point side.

Further down the report, a points-based analysis exercise is undertaken across various factors with weightings applied.

Of those the Halsey Street extension favoured by Emirates Team New Zealand and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is the clear winner scoring 82.2pts with the Halsey Wharf/Viaduct/Site 18 option coming in over 20 points behind at 61.8pts and Wynyard Wharf and Site 18 at 54.2pts - just above the 'Fail' cut-off.

The report also identifies the costs of each option which have narrowed considerably from earlier reports.

Halsey Street extension has come down to $177.9million in construction costs, with the Halsey Street, Hobson Wharf and Wynyard Point East coming out at $120million in one configuration and $156million.

The report also contains several references to a long-term base being built for Emirates Team New Zealand in the integrated facility on the Halsey Street Extension option. The move is one that Emirates Team New Zealand have said they would like to explore.

In its submission, RNZYS have lauded the legacy use potential in the integrated facility, talking of 'a pathway to the sea' and allowing the public to be able to enter the sea at the same place as the viewing points.

The RNZYS response mentions a number of events that could be accommodated at the facility including the Auckland triathlon, ocean swimming, offshore powerboats, waka ama, kayak/rowing 500-metre sprint series, Extreme Sailing Series, Volvo Ocean Race, World Match Racing and Etchells Worlds, as well as SUP events.

The end of the report undertakes a venue by venue analysis of the America's Cups sailed over the last ten years, noting the factors that contributed to their success and areas in which they had failed.

The report and decisions - likely to be a referral of three options for further work and decision in December - will take place on Thursday by the Governing Body for Auckland City.

The full report can be viewed by clicking here