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The Government has stepped up its planning to milk New Zealand's hosting of the next Rugby World Cup for lasting benefits - a tangible "legacy".
As the curtain came down in Paris on this year's cup, the Government announced the imminent opening of a Rugby World Cup liaison office to help in brainstorming to maximise the economic, environmental and social benefits of the 2011 event.
Expected to cost more than $5 million a year, the office will be the Government's contact point for its "leveraging and legacy" plans to make the most of the tournament.
The event is estimated to put $500 million into the economy.
Around 66,000 international visitors, 2500 media representatives and 2500 VIPs or corporate guests are expected.
Rugby World Cup Minister Trevor Mallard said yesterday that a high-profile businessman would soon be appointed to champion the new legacy project. He hoped to name the man, who had in principle accepted the job, in six weeks.
"He's someone who has got good business, sport and sports-administration credentials."
"We want business to get involved, engaged and thinking seriously about the benefits they can secure out of this very major event.
"This tournament presents an opportunity that New Zealand has never seen before."
Mr Mallard said the Government would promote New Zealand technology, scenery and culture to the world, as it had done during the America's Cup races in Auckland.
"With this in mind, I am pleased to announce that we will be launching a Rugby World Cup 2011 leveraging and legacy project in the next couple of months - aimed at ensuring that this tournament delivers lasting and tangible economic, environmental and social benefits to New Zealand."
Eden Park's upgrading would be one legacy, Mr Mallard said.
The Government has agreed to help finance the upgrading up to a cost of $190 million.
He said New Zealand software experts might be able to benefit from the use by broadcasters of the latest international technology for game graphics and analysis - "getting some of the international companies to work here as well and spin off into broadcasting in New Zealand generally".
"One of the massive issues is going to be having proper communication coverage," Mr Mallard said. "New Zealand broadband facilities at the moment are not good.
"What will be needed for this, and often in some pretty small provincial centres, will be much greater capacity than we've got. That's the hardware-type stuff."
The work of "profiling" the 2011 event to rugby supporters had begun in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, where more than 20,000 people had watched an audio-visual presentation inside New Zealand's huge "rugby ball".
Asked the cost of the liaison office, Mr Mallard said it would be $1 million a year at first, rising to more than $5 million a year.
