A new era in the history of Tauranga boat building and refits cannot happen soon enough for one of the city's business success stories.
The official launch of the $10.4m project to build a marine precinct in Sulphur Point featured a who's who of council and marine business leaders including Sean Kelly of Western Work Boats.
Mr Kelly has taken a big interest in the joint council's project to resurrect an industry crippled by the closure of the 600-tonne slipway seven years ago.
He said the creation of the Marine Precinct on the 3.5ha block of council-owned land between Sanfords and the Harbour Bridge was fundamental to the future of his business.
"If we don't have the facilities we need we will have to leave town. Whangarei and Nelson would love to have us," he told the Bay of Plenty Times after the guided tour of the site led by project manager Phil Wardale.