The Auckland Council has finalised a layout for the America's Cup Village in 2021 and hopes to lodge a resource consent application in a month.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff at the victory parade. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The plan - which comes at a cost of $150 million - includes extending Halsey Street wharf by 74 metres as well as extending the Hobson and Wynyard wharves.
The council choose the plan over the government's option, which had fewer wharf extensions but was deemed too costly and difficult.
The layout which the government wanted explored was deemed too costly, too small, and not doable. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council
The council is expected to lodge resource consent for the village by 15 January.
Councillors today voted 12-3 to push on with their preferred option, and extend the three wharves to build bases for up to eight teams.
They eliminated an idea the government has been keen to explore, which used Wynyard Point, reducing the need for wharf extensions.
Councillors accepted advice from their development agency Panuku that the government plan had too many pitfalls, including the need to relocate fuel storage, and would cost $100 million extra.
The council proposal will cost up to $150 million, including the cost of relocating some businesses, and preparing it to host the event.
During the debate over whether to drop the government option, councillor Mike Lee stunned those present by saying he'd taken a phone call from a "high official".
"The official who called me at 1117, was the Honourable David Parker (Minister for Economic Development) from
Buenos Aires. He made the plea to include both options in the resource consent," Councillor Lee told the meeting.
After the meeting, the mayor Phil Goff gave RNZ another version of the call.
"He was asked to contact one of the councillors, from Buenos Aires, he did not come in half-way through the debate,
that's absolutely false," Mr Goff said
The mayor said he was not worried about the Minister's contact, and that he and the Minister had a good working relationship on the cup.
Construction of the village infrastructure, which will involve dredging part of the harbour, is expected to take between 14 and 16 months from a possible start in August.