"The people have spoken through a democratic process," Mayor Sheryl Mai said when the landslide was announced at midday yesterday.
"Many residents will be elated at the outcome, and many may be disappointed. Whatever our initial feelings, it is now in the best interests of this district that we be united in embracing, engaging in and enjoying the most popular referendum choice."
The council's dedicated contribution of $2.8 million has been budgeted for in the draft Long Term Plan, due to be deliberated next week, Ms Mai said.
That will be a start toward the possible $15 million-plus cost of the proposal, factoring in price hikes prior to building.
An excited and relieved Prosper Northland spokesman Barry Trass said while he would love to say it was now a done deal, "we've still got a long way to go".
"But now we've got the mandate from the community we're hopeful it will all fall into place," Mr Trass said.
Grants, private backing, philanthropic donations and serious super-sell are all in the mix for raising the money needed within two years.
Prosper Northland was nevertheless confident the money would be in and the build under way before the 2017 deadline.
Meanwhile, Future Whangarei's call for a local maritime history museum may have sunk altogether, despite some support from the mayor.
"I think it is important we consider the many ideas from the Harbourside proposal which held great merit, and investigate how they may be captured in future council projects," Ms Mai said.
But Future Whangarei's main man Wally Yovich shrugged off that suggestion yesterday, saying the proposal had been based on a "historic" building being a venue to celebrate local history.
"It will be an expensive victory for the people of Whangarei and a massive financial burden for years to come," Mr Yovich said of the winning proposal.
District councillor Phil Halse, who, in recent years when it was a council-driven proposal, both backed and backed off from the earlier Hundertwasser plan, said it had always been the intention that "the public would decide".
"We've just got to make sure we pull together as a community and use this to build Whangarei into a better place," Mr Halse said.
Former mayor Stan Semenoff introduced the first version of the concept in 2008. He has seen two previous Hundertwasser-style council-led proposals rise and fail. He said the success of the current independent one "just goes to show the people of Whangarei are not stupid".
Chamber of Commerce Northland chief executive Tony Collins said the business community now had around three years to work on how individual businesses would benefit from the art centre.
"The business community also needs to continue to support the Prosper Northland as it works to raise funds," he said.
