The reasons for the delay in the official announcement are unknown, but there is speculation it could be because Emirates Team NZ are still awaiting a decision from the Government on whether it will invest in another America's Cup campaign.
Team NZ have made it clear without tax-payer money they will be unable to launch a credible campaign, but their bid for government funding hinged on being awarded hosting rights for the qualifying series. Now that hurdle is thought to have been cleared, Team NZ are waiting on official sign-off from the Government.
Prime Minister John Key gave a strong indication over the weekend the Government would greenlight funding for Team NZ, provided Auckland were awarded the qualifying series.
Key told Newstalk ZB having America's Cup racing in Auckland it would make the event "a much better proposition from the taxpayer's point of view", with all five challengers and defender Oracle Team USA expected to base themselves in New Zealand over the 2016-2017 summer.
"If [Team NZ] host what is effectively the Louis Vuitton challenger series, or a decent part of that in Auckland, that's going to bring in teams for a long period of time, that's going to bring in worldwide television audiences, it's going to showcase Auckland," he said.
