Editorial: City risks losing top-tier shows

Tauranga, the fifth-largest city in the country, is still not on the beaten path of the big-time concert promoters.

Take the June tour of the Flight of the Conchords featuring Oscar-winning Bret McKenzie and Emmy-nominated Jemaine Clement. They aren't coming to Tauranga, and the shows in Hastings, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Dunedin and Queenstown are already sold out.

When a promoter does take a punt in Tauranga he, or she, can just as quickly get burned. The feature Earth, Wind & Fire concert at the 50th National Jazz Festival attracted 4500 people when The Domain venue could have filled up to 10,000.

The organisers had budgeted for 6000 people, falling $100,000 short in ticket sales and impinging on the overall cost of running the jazz festival. Its director, Arne Herrmann, said there would be a financial loss but could not give an accurate figure until all the bills came in.

Of the 4500 concert goers at The Domain, 75 per cent of them came from outside the Bay and they were prepared to spend on accommodation and pay ticket prices of between $99 (discounted to $89 if bought early) and $169 for seating in the front rows.

After the concert, they filled up the bars and restaurants on The Strand, bringing smiles to the faces of the hospitality owners.

But only about 1125 locals bought tickets and attended the outdoor concert held on a fine, starry evening. Sure, the concert may not have been everyone's cup of tea - but you can say that for any show when it comes to people's different tastes and preferences.

If promoters aren't sure of the support - maybe that was the case with Flight of the Conchords - then they will continue to bypass Tauranga.

With its population base, Tauranga shouldn't be starved of international acts and sporting events. But the city needs to develop a track record of throwing its weight behind top-class promotions - and that means spending some money.

Tauranga needs to have a strong and all-encompassing events strategy - instead of smaller groups running off to do their own thing. A unified message should be sent out that Tauranga is an events destination.

The city does have the facilities. For instance, the TECT Arena at Baypark and soon-to-be completed cricket oval at Blake Park. Work is about to start on the $2.65 million cricket pavilion and grandstand and other facilities. It will be finished in good time to make a case for hosting World Cup cricket matches in 2015.

Now, they are the sort of international promotions Tauranga should back - and the city would finally be on the national events map.