Queens Wharf to get simple Cup spruce-up

Queens Wharf will be a hub for Cup tourists. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Queens Wharf is to be spruced up as Auckland's "Party Central" for the Rugby World Cup, although without fancy structures including a cruise ship terminal.

Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully said yesterday that the Government and Auckland Regional Council were fully committed to delivering Party Central at Queens Wharf for next year's sporting festival, although the terminal would have to wait.

His announcement followed last week's decision by Greater Auckland mayors not to proceed with a $97 million upgrade of the wharf in the present economic climate.

Auckland City Mayor John Banks told rugby fans then to steer clear of the wharf and party elsewhere around the city, despite Prime Minister John Key's preference for using it as the main fan-base for the world cup.

Mr Banks was more conciliatory yesterday, assuring Mr Key at a ceremony to mark major new developments further along the waterfront around the Tank Farm of his council's support for Party Central at Queens Wharf.

"I want to give you and [Auckland Regional Council] chairman Mike Lee a commitment today that Auckland City Council will work with you to facilitate a sensible and affordable outcome for Queens Wharf and Party Central," he said.

Mr Lee told the Weekend Herald earlier that he envisaged only very basic facilities on the wharf for the rugby crowds, but enough to "enable people to have fun there, to gather there and pick up information about tourist attractions in Auckland".

"It's going to be a rendezvous place, not just a party place," he said.

Although remaining keen on building a cruise ship terminal there and disappointed with "the attitude of the do-nothing fuddy-duddy mayors", he said he was looking forward to joining the party on the wharf, which his council and the Government intend opening for public access in April.

He said it was too early to tell how much it would cost to turn the wharf into a party zone, or what facilities would be available on it.

Mr Key welcomed Mr Banks' new pledge of support for Party Central while acknowledging a number of other venues would also be frequented by world cup visitors.

The mayor said prominent among these would be a $29 million Marine Events Centre off the corner of Halsey and Jellicoe Sts.