The flower show brings in about $14 million to Auckland. Photo / Herald on Sunday
The flower show brings in about $14 million to Auckland. Photo / Herald on Sunday
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The Ellerslie International Flower Show - the biggest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere - has caught the eye of civic leaders in Christchurch and Hamilton.
They are understood to be bidding against the Auckland City Council for the right to host the show.
Flower show managingdirector David Mee said the licence with the Auckland Regional Council - which owns the Botanic Gardens in Manukau where the show is held - was up for renewal next month.
"It's a brilliant venue, we're not unhappy where we are but we've had approaches from other places who are interested in hosting the show," he said. "We have to look at the long-term benefit.
"It's not about who gives the most money. We look at infrastructure, size, accessibility - a broad range of aspects."
Mr Mee said the Ellerslie Flower Show Charitable Trust and New Zealand Flower and Garden Shows Ltd, which run the event, had spoken to four interested hosts.
"We've talked to them about what they've brought to the party. The way we see it, it's a standard review. It's in the best interests of the show."
Mr Mee said the ARC wanted to keep the show.
"They would love us to stay. We've had very fruitful discussions with them also."
The organisers are expected to make a decision by the end of this month.
The flower show, which starts on Wednesday, generates $14 million for Auckland's economy, attracting more than 60,000 visitors.
Former Manukau mayor Sir Barry Curtis said last night: "It would be an absolute tragedy if the show was taken to some other part of New Zealand.
"It's highly successful at the Botanic Gardens. There is no reason it should go anywhere else."
The annual show has been held in Auckland since its inception in 1994, initially at the Ellerslie Racecourse. It outgrew that site, and moved to the Botanic Gardens in 1998.
