KEY POINTS:
Ratepayers' contributions to the troubled Vector Arena have grown by millions of dollars in the past three months despite assurances from Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard.
The 12,000-seat venue will open on March 24 with Rock Star Supernova booked to be the first public event.
Ratepayers are likely to chip in more than $71 million as the city's part of a public-private partnership deal with Australian operator Quay Park Arena Management (QPAM).
The project had been stalled by building problems with the distinctive but complicated roof and hostility between the builder Mainzeal and QPAM.
By December ratepayers had contributed $68 million. Last April Mayor Dick Hubbard said QPAM carried all the financial risks and there was no risk to ratepayers of further contributions.
But yesterday, during a preview tour of the arena, councillor Vern Walsh, who is chairman of the Arena Working Party, told the Herald ratepayers had contributed $71 million but that was not the final figure.
He said there would be a further call on the council to get the arena up and running.
A proposal would go to the council on Thursday night to authorise "a small amount" of unexpected spending to get the arena open.
He said the sum could not be revealed until councillors were advised.
"The choice is we could let things drag on or we can be proactive and get things resolved."
Also on the tour, Mr Hubbard said the council provided most of the arena funding under the country's first example of a build, own, operate, transfer arrangement.
He said the council was grateful to QPAM for its experience and expertise in managing risks associated with the arena and the arrangement was a forerunner of the kind of partnerships the council was encouraging to give the city new facilities and services.
The largest indoor arena in the country would give protection from Auckland's weather, he said, and mean an end to the days when events had to be held under tents or major events turned away because facilities were not good enough.
Finishing touches and cleaning were going on at present but there would be public open days.
Arena chief executive Bruce Mactaggart promised more announcements of exciting shows in coming weeks.
He said the arena was designed to easily and rapidly convert to host diverse events ranging from concerts and ballet to tennis and motocross. The floor was big enough to hold a world gymnastic championships.
Netball New Zealand is considering the arena for the semifinals and final of the world championships in November.
Mr Mactaggart said the wide open auditorium and kitchen with its five-star catering facilities could easily host black-tie functions for 2000 people attending international conferences.
He praised the quality of the sound system but also the auditorium's ability to retain noise to comply with a 45-decibel level at the boundaries of the nearest residential buildings.
Mr Mactaggart said the arena had been designed to fully cater for the needs of any performer, artist or sportsperson.
As well as team dressing rooms, the arena had two principal's dressing rooms for occasions when two artists were billed and each needed space to have 30 friends along.
