Key unveils 'party central' on Queens Wharf for 2011 World Cup

The Aurora cruise liner docked at Queens Wharf in Auckland. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Auckland's Queens Wharf, currently a depot for used cars and ripening bananas, will be home to up to 15,000 Rugby World Cup fans in 2011, Prime Minister John Key has announced.

Speaking to a tourism industry conference today, Key said that there was now "an opportunity to turn Queens Wharf into an important public space".

"I can confirm today that as a bare minimum we have secured Queens Wharf for a number of initiatives for the period of the Rugby World Cup," Mr Key said.

At the very least this meant Queens Wharf would be loaned from its owners the Ports of Auckland for the period of the Cup.

"The current agreement allows Queens Wharf to be the home of a Rugby World Cup 'Live Site' - a large open air space capable of hosting between 10,000 and 15,000 people."

"This will be 'party central' - the focus of a mass public opening ceremony and the magnet for fans who can't be at games during the six-week tournament."

Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully spent Tuesday in Auckland trying to nail down a deal with the local bodies that have interests in the project.

It is understood McCully asked Auckland City Mayor John Banks for $20 million to pay for Queens Wharf and he refused.

Preliminary designs have been prepared for a cruise ship terminal and public spaces on the 3ha wharf. Construction has been tentatively scheduled to start in November.

One source said the cost of strengthening Queens Wharf for a cruise terminal was about $20 million and the total cost could be more than $100 million.

The wharf belongs to Ports of Auckland, which is owned by the Auckland Regional Council through its investment division, Auckland Regional Holdings.

The ports company uses the wharf for parking imported used Japanese cars and stacking boxes of ripening bananas.

Key said today that in the event Queens Wharf was purchased, plans such as the development of an international cruise ship terminal would occur by 2011.

"I see Queens Wharf as the cornerstone of this Rugby World Cup phase of the waterfront development," said Key.

Critics and local politicians have long wanted the wharf for use as a public space.

One source said the Queens Wharf deal was linked to a capital payment to the ports company by the Auckland Regional Council.

The Government has refused to get involved in the recapitalisation of the ports company, but is believed to be prepared to assist once Queens Wharf is off the firm's books and available for development.

- NZ HERALD STAFF