Councillors happy to pay $250k for ABs game

It will cost Whangarei ratepayers up to $250,000 to see the All Blacks play at Toll Stadium, but it's a price the council is prepared to pay. Photo / File

Hosting All Blacks and British and Irish Lions games in Whangarei comes with a $250,000 price tag which is a sticking point for one Whangarei District councillor.

However, the concerns were not shared by the rest of the council which voted at last Wednesday's full council meeting to submit a bid to the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to host one or more of the seven tour matches of the 2017 British and Irish Lions Series, and one or more of the 13 All Blacks tests - including three against the Lions - across New Zealand in 2016 and 2017.

Councillor Brian McLachlan voted against the proposal on the basis it would cost the council at least $250,000 to secure.

"We can't afford to be spending $250,000. This cost could be covered quite easily by putting an extra $5 or $10 on the ticket price. The rugby league boys (Kiwis v Samoa in the Four Nations tournament at Toll Stadium in November) came to town and didn't expect this kind of money," he said.

Of the money, $100,000 is a direct payment to NZRU, with the remaining including contingencies for temporary seating, security, ushering costs and marketing around the event, WDC group manager Simon Weston said.

Cr Crichton Christie echoed Cr McLachlan's sentiment, though he voted to submit the bid anyway. "There is a difference between a Fifa World Cup game and a regular All Blacks game. The All Blacks is a professional team, it should be paying its way," Cr Christie said.

Cr Shelley Deeming supported the bid, saying: "I did not think there would be a negative response to such a huge opportunity. It's too good an opportunity to miss to get on the world stage," she said.

"It's another opportunity to host an international event, and a good opportunity to make use of the facilities."

Cr Greg Martin agreed. Cr Sue Glen said she'd be bitterly disappointment if councillors did not support the bid. "It brings our district to life. Why stop - paint the town red a second time I say."

Crs Christie, Tricia Cutforth, Deeming, Glen, Phil Halse, Cheery Hermon, Martin, Sharon Morgan and John Williamson voted for submitting the bid, while Cr McLachlan voted against.