Mawley Park upgrade 'irresponsible'

The owners of the Castlepoint Holiday Park have come out at odds with tourism promoter Destination Wairarapa over Mawley Park's planned million-dollar-plus make-over.
Destination Wairarapa general manager Peter Wilson yesterday said other holiday parks in Wairarapa had done well in aiming for Qualmark four-star ratings and believed Masterton would be ''let down'' if the Masterton District Council did not upgrade Mawley Park to the same standard.
The council is estimating the upgrade to cost about $1.8 million, $1.2 million of which has been pegged in next year's draft annual plan.
Getting the job done in time for the Rugby World Cup next year and the World Shearing Championships has been a big consideration in planning, and Mr Wilson believed these events were good ''catalysts'' to choose a full upgrade that would yield better returns in the long run.
''It will pay back, and we would certainly rather promote a four-star campground than a two or a three-star facility. Why would they want to spend millions on an upgrade if they're only going to come out with three stars?''
Destination Wairarapa chairman Steve Blakemore agreed, noting that anything less was ''setting the sights far too low''.
But Anders and Emily Crofoot, declaring interests as the owners of Castlepoint Holiday Park, wrote in a submission to the council's draft annual plan they were against $1.2 million being spent on Mawley.
''It would be fiscally irresponsible to spend that sort of money for the suggested $12,000 increased return it would generate. It would be even more irresponsible to borrow $800,000 when the projected returns wouldn't even cover reasonable interest costs.
''The current state of the facility is a disgrace and reflects poorly on the management, lease terms and processes that allowed it to get into this condition.''
They said the events to be catered for _ the Rugby World Cup and the World Shearing Championships _ were not big enough to justify the investment.
''Golden Shears is a fantastic event and worthy of support. However, building a few new cabins to support the one-off event of the World Shearing Championships would be a very expensive action that will provide very little accommodation, as well as directly competing with existing facilities.''
They questioned whether a holiday park was the best use for the site.
''Are there other options that would satisfy the requirements of the gift of the land? Why should ratepayers be asked to provide subsidised holidays for people?''
The upgrade was a hot topic elsewhere among the more than 80 submissions received on the draft plan.
Four other submitters called for an immediate upgrade, one suggested it could be sold along with Queen Elizabeth Park to commercial businesses, and another asked the make-over be dropped altogether.
Sport Wellington asked that the park be affordable to touring sports teams after the revamp and the Wairarapa Chamber of Commerce also backed the project.