KEY POINTS:
The Eden Park upgrade has been given a $10 million boost by the Auckland Regional Council - but the offer comes with a condition that the funding is a one-off deal with "no strings attached'.
The Auckland Regional Council is offering the money on the basis it will
not make any future contribution to the ongoing operation of the stadium which is being redeveloped for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
ARC chairman Mike Lee says the money, which would come out of the investment arm Auckland Regional Holdings and not rates, would be included in the 2008/09 annual plan but would not be available until 2010.
Putting it in the annual plan gave the public an opportunity to have their say on an already highly debated topic.
"We see the annual plan process as a convenient opportunity for the public to comment on our proposal," said Mr Lee.
"I don't believe given the weight of opinion pro and con that there is likely to be much change [to the proposal] but we would be interested to hear what the public think.
"We are a democratic organisation - if an overwhelming number of Aucklanders were seriously offended with the idea, we would have to withdraw it, but I don't think that is likely."
Reports late last year said the Eden Park upgrade was looking shaky after the ARC said it did not intend to put money into the project.
But Mr Lee said the council had always planned to discuss the matter this month and, as a result, a decision had been made to make a contribution, if the public supported it.
"Rather than giving the $25 million which the Government and the Rugby Union people expected, we've given $10 million and there will be no strings attached.
"We will make a one-off payment in 2010 and it won't be coming out of rates. I think they would be wise to take it."
Eden Park Redevelopment Board chief executive Adam Feeley said he had not had a chance last night to view the terms and conditions but he was pleased to hear the announcement.
"It's a good step forward, assuming it gets confirmed - we are about 90 per cent funded so it's a good position to be in."
Auckland Mayor John Banks also welcomed the ARC contribution.
"This will go some distance to the final figure - it's $10 million more than we were going to get and the shortfall now is easily obtainable."
Those shortfall options included commercial sponsorship, ASB Trust and sponsorship opportunities which were "currently being chased down".
"I am very relaxed about the project now. The funding that has been stacked up now means the project is unstoppable and on track."
He was "quietly confident" the public would support the proposal.
Last month he called for the ARC to put $20 million towards the redevelopment project after the local authority announced a $34 million surplus.
He said last night he wasn't disappointed that the ARC had come up with only half of that figure.
"It's not necessarily another disappointment, it's good news because it's $10 million and $10 million is a lot of cash for the ratepayers of greater Auckland to stump up."
No More Rates founder David Thornton said the ARC funding was a "complete kick in the teeth to ratepayers" who faced rate rises.
"I urge all ratepayers to tell the ARC not to use publicly owned assets to fund the Eden Park upgrade."
