KEY POINTS:
For some unfathomable reason, there's something about Ports of Auckland that makes grown politicians go weak at the knees at the thought of telling it to do something.
Maybe it's the intimidating red fence it lurks behind. Whatever, almost a year after Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee and his deputy, Michael Barnett, loudly signalled their desire for a cruise ship terminal on Queens Wharf and nothing happened, the politicians have girded their loins, pumped themselves full of testosterone, and decided to act.
Well, sort of. They've voted "to progress work" on getting the new terminal built and set up a committee with the port company, the Government and Auckland City Council, to try to make it happen.
The ARC says that as well as the terminal it wants a public promenade along the western side of the wharf for all Aucklanders - which is a good start to opening up this open space at the bottom of Queen St.
But it's unlikely to trigger "the transformation of Auckland into a world class destination", which is what the ARC chiefs dreamed about in February when they first raised the proposal.
Then, they noted then the worldwide resurgence of the cruise industry and how its growth was outstripping most other tourism sectors, and said Auckland was "in the ideal position to capitalise on the pre and post cruise activities of passengers and crew".
Queens Wharf, they added, "provides a unique opportunity to provide an accessible area where visitors and Aucklanders can interact".
Unfortunately the vision rather dried up at that point as they went on to enthuse about including "a signature exhibition space ... showcasing the region's heritage".
To me, a big building up in the Domain is already doing that. What is now being proposed seems hardly the "spectacular gateway" and "signature attraction" they talked about.
To achieve that, you need something akin to the Sydney Opera House or Wellington's Te Papa Museum. But preferably something original. Which got me to thinking why couldn't we combine the passenger terminal facility and its need for large foyer-like spaces with the theatre complex for drama and dance this city so lacks.
The best thing going for such a multi-functional facility is that it would provide two urgently desired facilities for the price of one - well let's say, one and a half.
. It would mean a better spread of patrons for the various facilities and shared operating costs. It would also double the destination experiences for passengers and local theatregoers.
Aucklanders could have two make-believe experiences for the price of one ticket. See a play and fantasise about sailing off around the world. It would also be a chance to extract some cash from our visitors' wallets while, at the same time, underlining that our culture has more going for it than stinking mud pools and sweaty sheepshearers.
But the biggest appeal for someone like myself, who despairs of Auckland ever getting the arts infrastructure a city aspiring to be world class needs, is the expanded funding possibilities this Terminal Theatre project opens up.
For starters, it frees the $80 million Auckland City was talking of spending to buy the wharf. Now that the ARC has signalled it's not for sale, there's $80 million to start with.
Then there's central government's contribution. The Ministry of Economic Development has been part of a study which highlighted the potential for Auckland to generate an additional $12 billion in direct visitor expenditure over 10 years from an investment of $1.65 billion. This was dependent on the development of "signature attractions" such as facilities on Queens Wharf.
Consulting firm Covec came up with a range of terminal options for Queens Wharf, ranging from a $15 million "basic" terminal with no public access elsewhere, through to a $467 million "world class cruise ship terminal integrated into a national convention and exhibition centre".
Below that was a $157 million to $307 million "architectural cruise ship terminal and iconic public space and buildings/attractions on the wharf".
When you think that only two years back, the Wellington bureaucrats and politicians were prepared to give Auckland a $1 billion-plus waterfront stadium to lure fans for a handful of rugby matches, this is not the time to think small.
Especially when our new Prime Minister is to be Minister of Tourism and could well be itching to score some early points.
