Ratepayers could face giant Rugby World Cup bill

Auckland City ratepayers are set to pay about $400 each for the 2011 Rugby World Cup - and they won't even get a ticket to Eden Park for the price.

Secret discussions are taking place within the Auckland City Council to contribute up to $60 million towards the redevelopment of Eden Park and a further $13 million for a pedestrian overbridge from the park to Kingsland railway station.

The Eden Park Trust Board is expected to unveil plans next Friday for a $100 million-plus upgrade of the park, from 47,500 to 60,000 seats - a key condition for hosting the event.

The board, council and Government are expected to pay for most of the upgrade, which needs to get started next year to be finished in time for 2011. City councillors yesterday received a verbal briefing in secret from senior officer Cameron Parr about the council's involvement in the Rugby World Cup in which ratepayers would write a large cheque towards the Eden Park upgrade, reducing noise and boosting transport.

One possibility is using the number two ground at Eden Park as a carpark during the cup and as a park-and-ride facility at other times, connected to Kingsland railway station by a $13 million pedestrian overbridge.

A $6.6 million overbridge between Kingsland station and Walters Rd was mooted before last year's Lions rugby tour but the plan went nowhere.

During an open discussion on a $100 million funding package for Eden Park or a convention centre, Mayor Dick Hubbard said the Rugby World Cup was going to be a "stretch" for the council, trust board and the Government but he fully supported an event that would showcase Auckland to a third of the world's population.

But a decision by officers and finance committee chairman Vern Walsh to increase funding for international events from $50 million to $100 million riled several councillors.

Neil Abel said the clear message from ratepayers during consultation on the budget was to stick to the core business of stormwater, sewage, rubbish, roads and footpaths.

* The trust board is holding three more public meetings on the redevelopment of Eden Park on July 1 (10.30am-12.30pm), July 13 (7pm-9pm) and July 27 (7pm-9pm) at the Hall of Legends, Eden Park.