Business leaders say if Northlanders plan well they could make a huge impression and plenty of dollars from American billionaire Larry Ellison bringing his America's Cup-holding Oracle Racing Team to Marsden Pt.
Northport chief executive Jon Moore told Whangarei Economic Development Group (Wedg) and Ruakaka Economic Development Group (Redg) representatives that Northport had been working on getting Oracle for the past year and had beaten off rival interest from ports in South Africa and Australia.
It was announced last week that Oracle, which won the 33rd America's Cup regatta in 2010 from holders Alinghi, would begin preparing for the next defence at Northport, the deep water port at Marsden Pt. This will involve Oracle's two America's Cup AC72 wingsail catamarans going head-to-head in spectacular matchracing off the Ruakaka coast.
The first of the team will arrive in October this year, with the yachts expected in January and racing continuing until April.
The 200 Oracle team members, family and support crews staying in the district are expected to pump several million dollars into the local economy and business leaders say it's up to Northlanders to try to convince Ellison to do more Oracle business here.