Of that, $40 million will go towards securing large-scale international events from 2026, which Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says aims to open the country’s events sector up to a wider range of opportunities, including concerts.
“We know big events deliver. For example, over three years, 14 Auckland shows (including Coldplay and Pearl Jam) generated $33.7m for the local economy with 490,000 attendees,” Upston said.
That’s a decent chunk of change, and the hundreds of thousands of people attending shows New Zealand has the appetite for big concerts.
The Government will investigate whether Auckland’s Eden Park can be further leveraged to maximise its use as part of the package.
Regulatory limitations allow up to 12 concerts from six artists per year, restrict operations on certain days and times, and ban more than four concerts in four weeks.
Eden Park’s chief executive Nick Sautner says the park could realistically host an event a week.
It currently averages about 35 event days per year, leaving it empty 90% of the year.
Hamilton is also hoping to get a slice of the funding pie.
In the past 12 months, the city’s three major venues of FMG Stadium Waikato, Claudelands and Seddon Park have hosted events with a combined attendance of 500,000.
Ben Slatter, the director of Hamilton City Council’s event facilities division H3, says the city is “ready for more”.
Kiwi music festival Homegrown is returning to its “mighty Waikato” roots in March, and the council expects more than 25,000 people to attend, which its deputy chief executive Sean Murray says proves the city can deliver big events.
Could other cities also open their doors to international acts?
Tauranga has proven willing and capable of doing so.
It has played host to many international stars in the past decade, including Bruce Springsteen, Cardi B, Dionne Warwick, and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell.
Gisborne, of course, hosts big names every year for its Rhythm and Vines festival, with past acts including Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Moby and Dom Dolla.
Napier is another regional city that has attracted some famous stars in the past, including Elton John, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart and Eric Clapton.
These events were attended by thousands of people, who all spent money in the host region on accommodation, hospitality, retail and other related industries.
Big names attract big crowds, and big crowds bring big dollars.
It’s not just the fans who benefit from concerts and festivals; it’s the whole economy.
This extra money is a welcome move.
