Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says the decision not to hold the next America’s Cup in Auckland had been signalled for some time.

“While it is not a surprise, I have encountered strong views from many Aucklanders and New Zealanders about the decision by ETNZ not to defend the America’s Cup in this country,” Mayor Goff says.

“This will be the first time that—having won the Cup—New Zealand will not get the benefits of defending it here.

“Team New Zealand received huge support from New Zealanders. This included a significant investment in the infrastructure that Auckland Council put in place and financial support from the government for hosting the event.

“The government and council pulled out all the stops to ensure the infrastructure was delivered to standard and on time. That infrastructure is long-term asset for Aucklanders that is ready to be used for future events.

“The event itself was a success, and every team competing here expressed their satisfaction with how it was organised and expressed a desire to come back to Auckland for AC37,” Phil Goff says.

“The only disappointment with the AC36 event was that the international COVID-19 pandemic stopped Auckland and New Zealand realising the economic benefits that would have come with international tourists and the refitting of superyachts in normal circumstances. These benefits would have been realised by hosting AC37 in 2024.

“Aucklanders in particular will be disappointed that the Cup defence will not be held here in 2024.

“However, it is what it is and it’s a reflection of the fact that the America’s Cup is not simply an international sporting event but a business venture—and the later consideration has prevailed,” Mayor Goff says.

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