Tauranga mayor Stuart Crosby today floated setting up a separate urban development authority to execute the delivery of new CBD amenities.
"I've got a very strong feeling that if we are going to kick off [the planned new civic centre infrastructure] now is the time," he told the annual City Leaders Lunch.
The lunch, which drew more than 100 Bay of Plenty business and civic leaders, also featured speeches by Tauranga MP and Transport Minister Simon Bridges, and former Comvita chief executive and new Priority One chairman Brett Hewlett.
Mr Crosby said one of the reasons past proposals had got off to a false start was because the council balance sheet wasn't big enough to do all the basic stuff which was absolutely critical.
"The real issue is around the delivery. In my view, if we formed a city centre development authority outside of council, then the prospect of that happening is a lot stronger. The council of the day would set the strategic framework and the outcomes. But it's actually delivered by another authority.