Last chance to support America's Cup Bases
by Richard Gladwell 13 Mar 2018 02:45 PDT
13 March 2018
Emirates Team New Zealand uplifts the America's Cup, Brermuda, June 26, 2017 © Richard Gladwell
NZ Marine, the industry body for the New Zealand marine industry has made a plea to its members and the wider marine industry to make their support known for the America's Cup hosting in Auckland.
A packed HYPD Conference held Sunday afternoon at the National Maritime Museum heard from several New Zealand companies how their businesses had either begun, or had made substantial growth, as a result of America's Cup involvement which they had extended into other industries outside the Cup and marine industry.
This Wednesday 14th March is the close off for submissions on Auckland Council's application for resource consent planning approval for two related plans, says an email from NZ Marine to its members.
For the building of eight America's Cup bases in Wynyard Quarter and Viaduct Harbour area using three wharves - Wynyard, Halsey and Hobson - so Auckland can host the 36th America's Cup.
For the building of a new commercial and fishing boat marina/wharf area to the west of Wynyard Point (on the Westhaven side). The existing Sea Link car ferry and fishing boats would move from the eastern side of Wynyard Wharf to the western side in the new planned commercial area. This will free up the water space in front of the restaurants on North Wharf to accommodate several syndicate bases on Wynyard Wharf and a new superyacht marina complete with a breakwater.
NZ Marine is in support the above two plan applications and will be putting in a supporting submission in relation to the additional business it will provide the marine industry in Auckland and throughout NZ - including increased foreign exchange earnings, increased employment, additional apprenticeships and training and profiling the marine and related composite industries as innovative and world leading.
We will be noting the increase in yacht and boating club membership and increased numbers of young people trying this healthy and outdoors activity. We will also be noting the pride and enjoyment it brings to most people in New Zealand (and New Zealanders living overseas) and the sense of a can-do attitude that this country has in the past and continues to pride itself on.
As you are aware, there has been much press coverage in the last month on various other options on how Auckland could configure the various syndicate bases - and also some that propose using the Site 18 next to Orams for Syndicate bases instead of the planned superyacht haul-out yard with 650 ton travel lift that NZ Marine has been advocating. These other suggested syndicate placement plans have no legal standing.
Over the last six months we have worked closely with Emirates Team New Zealand, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Auckland Council and the New Zealand Government, demonstrating to them the business advantage to New Zealand of hosting the 36th America's Cup in Auckland in 2020/2021.
The Council and Mayor have moved from a position of not wishing to spend any money towards infrastructure to host the America's Cup, to a position that that has resulted in the above referred two resource consent applications and the funding to build it. The New Zealand Government has of recent been exploring some changes to the above plan that would see some 'tank farm' tanks removed to house more syndicates on Wynyard Wharf thereby reducing the number of syndicate bases on Halsey Wharf.
If the Government, or indeed the Council, table a revised plan at a later stage then we will address those revisions on their merits - in the meantime the only plan to host the America's Cup in New Zealand is by the above two consent applications and it is important that we show the Council and people of New Zealand that we support these two plan applications.
Please send in your own submissions via:
Submission for Ferry and Fishing Industry Relocation (FFIRF)
Submission for the America's Cup syndicate bases
Alternatively you can send to Peter Busfield as soon as possible, a brief note to say that the hosting of the 36th America's Cup and plans by Auckland Council to facilitate this have your company support and why (e.g. increased business / increased employment etc).
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Peter Busfield directly at NZ Marine