Miss Universe leaves Levin for city lights

Its KFC went up in flames in December, and now Levin has lost one of the country's top beauty pageants as well.

The Horowhenua town has been snubbed by organisers of the Miss Universe New Zealand pageant, because they didn't like last year's food or venue, which featured plastic tables and chairs on a basketball court.

Event organiser Val Lott told the Herald on Sunday the Horowhenua Events Centre was not suitable for this year's competition and it was too expensive.

"It's just got nothing, it's really just a sports arena," she said.

"It really cost me a lot of money, it's ridiculous, as well as having nothing it's got all these costs attached to it, it's just silly."

The centre's website advertises the auditorium as available to hire at $35 an hour. The auditorium with kitchen facilities can be hired for a $250 bond and another payment of $560 for 12 hours.

Lott reportedly held the 2009 final in Levin because she liked its "small town charm".

Contestants with titles such as Miss Ultimate Transport Solutions and Miss Southern First National strode along the catwalk in front of five judges and an audience sitting at tables decorated with blue and white balloons.

Auckland's Katie Taylor, 22 at the time, was selected from 15 contenders to represent New Zealand at the Miss Universe competition in Barbados in August.

But the charm of the Levin centre has faded - Lott said she decided this year's final would be held in the capital after a "gorgeous" day out at the Wellington Cup races.

The 2010 pageant will be held at the Duxton Hotel, in central Wellington, which she said was providing a "much cheaper" deal.

Horowhenua Events Centre trust chairman Grant Robertson said Levin could hold its head high. "The community bent over backwards to make everything happen for her.

"She took her profit and sort of left the town with a bad taste in our mouths. It's not surprising she's going elsewhere."

Roberston said he could not comment on Lott's complaint about the catering as he was not aware what company she had used for last year's event.

However he said the centre was extremely popular.

The auditorium is hired for 40 weeks of the year by a local gymnastics club and recently hosted 200 jugglers for the 18th annual New Zealand Juggling Convention.

"I am sure that she's moving on for her own reasons," he said. "We did everything we could to hold a successful event."

Levin still has ...
* A population of 16,000
* Bushwalks
* Bargains from big number of factory outlets
* Medieval Market (yesterday)
* The Organic River Festival (last month)
* "With the Tasman Sea coast on one side and the Tararua Ranges on the other, Levin can offer a wide range of outdoor adventures."

Source: www.newzealand.com