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Could this be the site? John Law says he will offer Orewa’s fishing jetty as the site for a conference centre if Auckland misses the boat.

PRESS RELEASE
Orewa, 4th December 2006.

Available for immediate publication.
Photo attached.

Use it or lose it says Rodney mayor.

Rodney’s mayor John Law says the Auckland City Council is “missing the boat” if it doesn’t look at other options for its waterfront.

Mr Law says that with the waterfront no longer in contention for a stadium, the site should be used for an equally iconastic structure he believes could be a waterfront symbol for the city in much the same way as New York’s Statue of Liberty and Sydney’s Opera House.

The mayor is suggesting a conference centre capable of housing 5000 or more delegates.

He says such a centre would have substantial economic benefit to the whole region and the concept needs to be considered carefully by both the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council.

“For a variety of reasons—international terrorism included—new venues are being sought for global conferences. New Zealand is obviously safe and attractive to organisers, but we have limited facilities.

“If we build them, they will come. Auckland is the ideal place and with the focus now on doing more with the waterfront that seems to be the ideal site.”

The Rodney mayor acknowledges that some may see him stepping out of line when making suggestions for Auckland. But he says that Auckland and the regional generally have an unfortunate history of letting opportunities go by.

He says what is needed now is vision, imagination and a commitment to move forward.

The upbeat mayor concludes by, tongue firmly in his cheek, offering Orewa’s waterfront fishing jetty as an alternative site for the conference centre if Auckland doesn’t respond.

ENDS

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