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Christchurch's leaders are convinced their city can handle the 2011 Rugby World Cup final if the stadium debate cannot be sorted out.
But they are refusing to let it become a rivalry with Auckland.
Rugby World Cup Minister Trevor Mallard has said Christchurch's Jade Stadium will be called on to host the final if the jostling over the best stadium option in Auckland cannot be resolved.
The loss of the final would be a huge embarrassment for Auckland, but Christchurch leaders would welcome the opportunity.
"We, as a city, are saying the preferred option is Auckland and that's fine by us. But if Auckland can't get its act together, we will," said Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore.
"We have done our sums and we know we can do it. This is about New Zealand. This is not about Auckland versus Canterbury."
The cost of getting Jade Stadium up to the required standard, with seating for 60,000 people, would be $80 million, "one hell of a lot less than Auckland", Mr Moore said.
Vbase, which manages Jade Stadium, is already planning to increase capacity from 36,000 to 43,000 with a new eastern stand and, for World Cup matches, to create terraces at the southern and northern ends to increase it to 55,000.
To get to the required 60,000 for the final, seating would be created that would later be "decommissioned".
"We will do whatever we need to do to ensure [the World Cup] is a positive event for New Zealand. And if that means stepping up and providing a back-up for the final, we will do it," said Vbase chief executive Bryan Pearson.
"We are only a third the size of Auckland, so what we can sustain post-World Cup is nowhere near what Auckland can."
Penny Clark, the regional chairwoman for the Hotel Council, said there was no reason Christchurch could not cope with the final's visitors.
Several hotels are expected to add about 600 extra rooms in Christchurch before 2011.
"I think we would be challenged, but Canterbury is very innovative," Ms Clark said.
"We would need to use the likes of [Canterbury towns] Timaru, Ashburton, Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura and we would probably need a couple of cruise ships in the harbour.
"But we have good roading infrastructure to swing people in."
The Hospitality Association said Christchurch's bars and clubs had coped with the thousands of visitors for the Lions test match in June last year, and could do so again for the World Cup.
Said Canterbury branch president Peter Morrison: "Christchurch has got more bars and restaurants per capita than anywhere else in Australasia.
"It's got too many at the moment in my opinion.
"By 2011 we'll have even more."
