Business needs to wake up to Cup windfall

Organisers expect Rugby World Cup 2011 will have Auckland abuzz. Photo / Chris Skelton

With 815 days to go to Rugby World Cup 2011, there are encouraging signs that Auckland is getting its act together.

Only six months ago Rugby World Cup chief Martin Snedden was bollocking the business community for a lack of cohesion and was worried about lost opportunities from the third biggest sporting event in the world.

Snedden says he is an impatient kind of guy, but six months on he is more than happy that the level of RWC business activity planning has intensified significantly and is feeling more comfortable about Auckland - a metropolis better known for tearing itself apart than pulling together.

As the Super City debate rages, Fletcher Construction is motoring through the $240 million upgrade of Eden Park and a little-known regional steering group is pulling together everything from traffic and transport issues to maximising the business opportunities and organising volunteers.

Chairing this steering group is Rachael Dacy, who represented Australia in pole-vaulting at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, and who crossed the Tasman as programme manager for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, to take up the challenge of running events at Auckland City Council.

Her off-field talents to make international sporting events tick propelled Dacy towards RWC 2011 and pulling together the region's eight councils, Tourism Auckland, Auckland Plus (the business arm of the Auckland Regional Council), the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, rugby and stadia interests.

All-up, Dacy is overseeing a $100 million budget, covering everything from a $5 million upgrade of Kingsland Station (Arta) to a $2.5 million opening night extravaganza aimed at uniting the entire country in the moments leading up to kick-off at Eden Park on September 9, 2011.

"I see my role as absolutely regional," says Dacy, whose twin goals are to run a successful tournament and leverage maximum long-term benefits for Auckland and New Zealand.

"We will be coming up for two years on September 9, the ninth of the ninth, 09. We have got the funding in place, we are working regionally, we have got a comprehensive plan already delivering now and judging from my experience of being involved in Melbourne, we are absolutely ahead of where the Commonwealth Games were at the same time," she says.

One of the most challenging projects Dacy is working on is creating a spectacular opening event that will be based on the Auckland waterfront.

Given Aucklanders' love of big outdoor events and predictions of 60,000 overseas visitors - many of whom will not have tickets for the opening match between the All Blacks and Tonga - the waterfront will be pulsating with who knows how many people.

Dacy says the event will bring the cameras outside Eden Park on opening night, showcase Auckland to the world and provide Aucklanders with a world class experience, free of charge. It could see much of downtown closed to traffic, including Quay St and even Queen St - "whatever makes sense".

The region and the Government are exploring all opportunities to make the most of waterfront for RWC 2011.

Plans to build a $27 million marine events centre - with a wave-like roof and a 25m-wide promenade fronting the Viaduct Harbour - have been brought forward by Auckland Council.

However, the council has deferred plans for the $51.2 million Te Wero bridge linking the Viaduct Harbour with Jellicoe St at the Tank Farm.

This could lead to a temporary structure being built - particularly if a new entertainment strip being planned for Jellicoe St goes ahead for the cup.

The waterfront will also be the site of a major fan zone - funded $1.5 million from Auckland City Council, supplemented with commercial sponsorship - that will run the entire six weeks of the tournament.

There are also expected to be five-to-eight "second tier" fan zones set up across Auckland in places like Takapuna or Waitakere's Trusts Stadium. These zones could be determined once it is known where teams will be based. There will also be an unlimited number of "rugby club" sized fan zones.

No doubt, Auckland will be abuzz during the cup. But what about the city's biggest bugbear - transport? Can Auckland step up to the plate?

First the bad news. Overseas visitors will be moving around on clapped-out diesel trains, not fast and efficient electric trains. There will be no rail to the airport, although the airport company expects to have the first stage of its second runway built.

A car-loving city, Auckland's air has become more clouded with pollution over the years, not a good look when one of the cup's objectives is to showcase sustainability.

In charge of traffic and transport for the cup is another Australian - Bruce Barnard, hired as the regional transport authority's World Cup transport programme director after his involvement with the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Barnard says everything is going "AOK". That might give cause for concern coming from your run-of-the-mill transport boffin, but Barnard is a details man.

"We have got into a very detailed operational planning perspective through all the operators on a traffic and transport workstream. We have confirmed the base model for trains. We have now got confirmation of the operation of the buses," he says.

The goal is to get at least 75 per cent of ticket-holders to the nine matches at Eden Park - including the cup opener, two semi-finals and the final - by public transport, taxis or by foot.

The target is for nine trains carrying 1000 passengers every five minutes from Kingsland railway station, and six coming back to have 15 train movements carrying 15,000 fans within 75 minutes of the ref's final whistle. A further 1500 passengers will be moved through Morningside railway station.

Clearing 45,000 spectators by other than by private car means almost tripling the 16,000 patrons weaned off cars for last winter's Bledisloe cup match with the incentive of bus or rail fares incorporated into event tickets. In 2007, just 2 to 4 per cent of patrons used public transport.

"The demographics mean a lot more international people are coming to Auckland. They will be familiar with using public transport.

"Our aim and objective is this give the operators the opportunity to put their works on show ... and get Aucklanders to realise it can work effectively and hopefully they will use it on a regular basis," Barnard says.

Transport projects that will be ready for the cup include a swag of improvements to Kingsland station, including widening and lengthening both platforms and improving access to the northern platform by building a pedestrian underpass and extra stairs over the railway tracks.

The Auckland City Council is also planning to spend $22 million on improvements for Sandringham Rd, including a link lane from the stadium to Kingsland Station.

The Government's Transport Agency is confident the $230 million Manukau Harbour motorway crossing duplication will be completed to avoid airport traffic hold-ups, and partial completion of the $195 million replacement Newmarket Viaduct.

Clyde Rogers, group manager of Auckland Plus, is co-ordinating the golden opportunities a mega-event the size of the Rugby World cup provides for Auckland businesses. Auckland's economy stands to benefit by $267 million in additional spending during the tournament.

The first port of call is the website - www.auckland2011.com - with a business connection link and business opportunity guide.

"We are interested in global profiles, attracting investors and showcasing local businesses.

"We are looking to build on what is on the website into a guide that will be produced in hard copy around September ... in 2011 we will be doing work on a business-ready and visitor-ready kit," Rogers says.

With a shorter term focus - and the current global financial crunch - Rogers says business has not latched on totally to the cup, but there are plenty of opportunities out there.

Over the next year there will be opportunities for things like getting training facilities other than Eden Park ready, and closer to the event preparing the fan zones, portaloo requirements, festivals and hospitality.

Alongside New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Auckland Plus is development a site for all Rugby World Cup tender opportunities.

Then there are opportunities arising from the major corporate sponsors.

The sports marketing and corporate hospitality giant, IMG, is setting up office in Auckland next year with 30 staff. New Zealand businesses, like Line 7 with a clothing contract, and Willament Travel with travel and hospitality contracts, have already won lucrative contracts for the Cup.

"What I think you will find is that business will leverage it (the Cup), but the risk is that unless they become aware of it quickly and start thinking about the possibilities then there is always the risk that you won't maximise it as well as you should," says Rogers.

Snedden says his instinct now is that things are tracking along pretty well in Auckland for the Cup and the momentum is growing.

The Government - particularly World Cup Minister Murray McCully and associate minister Gerry Brownlee - had really upped its focus on the Cup and used it as a catalyst for progressing Auckland as a city and a region.

"The cohesion I felt was missing is starting to gradually establish itself ... we are laying some pretty good foundations. I'm feeling a lot more comfortable about Auckland and while there is still a heap to do, there is still two more years and they will make good use of those two years," says the cup supremo.

McCully is comfortable with the progress being made towards a successful tournament - "The tournament is going to be somewhere between extremely good and absolutely fantastic".

Turning to the part of the tournament outside the rugby, he is keen to make the most of lasting benefits, what is commonly known as the "legacy".

In the early days this was referred to as the festival element - cultural events and other activities up and down the country.

"But we are building something that extends significantly past the original concept of a festival.

"What I'm calling, at this stage Showcase New Zealand to provide a vehicle during 2011 to tell the world about all the very best stuff New Zealand does."

This will cover everything from the marine industry, film making through to seafood, wine and dairy production that could be showcased to the 60,000 international visitors at an expo-type setting in Auckland and other cities.

RWC: THE PAYMENTS AND PAYOFFS

FUNDING

The regional steering group is overseeing $98 million to prepare for Rugby World Cup 2011 and ensure long-term benefits.

HOW THE MONEY WILL BE SPENT

About $64 million for infrastructure upgrades and improvements, including:

Investment into Eden Park (by the Auckland Regional Council - $10m).

Upgrading the Eden Park Precinct (Sandringham Rd, a link lane project, lighting, streetscapes - $22m).

Transport infrastructure including Kingsland Station upgrade ($5m) and park and ride facilities.

Upgrading of training venues across the region.

Town centre improvements across the region.

Preparation of walking routes, general security (CCTV cameras) and signage.

About $34 million on services and operational programmes, including:

Enhancement of city services including traffic and transport, cleaning and waste, security, regulatory and compliance and the operation of training venues.

Delivery of festivals, ceremonies and community engagement. International destination marketing (promoting Auckland) and visitor services.

Economic development and business programmes.

Communicating with residents and businesses.

Dressing the region - banners etc.

Note: A significant portion of the region's contribution is subject to confirmation by local councils region through the current long-term budgeting process. The $98 million includes revenue from external sources, of about $5 million.

THE BENEFITS

Rugby World Cup 2011 has the potential to generate an estimated $267 million of direct economic benefits for the Auckland region.

This means additional jobs and extensive business opportunities for a range of Auckland companies.

The event is a one-off opportunity to showcase Auckland to international visitors, media and television viewers and leave them all with a lasting impression.

There are expected to be 60,000 international visitors, 2000 media and four billion television viewers.

It is also an opportunity to establish Auckland as a desirable major events destination.

Auckland's Rugby World Cup programme will provide opportunities for all Aucklanders to have a world-class experience regardless of their ability to purchase tickets.

The significant capital investment by the region (and Government) will deliver tangible infrastructure projects and improvements across the region.

While some of these projects/upgrades were already in long-term plans, RWC has been a catalyst for early delivery.

Source: Regional Steering Group.