The Queenstown Lakes District Council is proposing to reduce Wanaka ward's contribution to a new convention centre in Queenstown, but many Wanaka submitters to the council's long-term plan feel that Wanaka residents should not have to foot the bill at all. Lucy Ibbotson and Mark Price report.
The idea of a Queenstown convention centre does not sit well with most Wanaka ratepayers who have made submissions on the Queenstown Lakes District Council's draft 10-year plan.
Last year, the council decided to proceed with building a $55million convention centre at the Lakeview site in Queenstown, subject to external funding and approval of a final rating model and preferred operating model.
The council is consulting on a revised rating model to fund part of the cost of the centre, which has reduced the pro-posed Wanaka ward contribution from 15% to 10%, with 6% apportioned to commercial ratepayers, 1% to accommodation providers and 3% to households.
But dozens of submitters from the Wanaka ward say they should not be expected to provide any funding towards a convention centre which would be of no benefit or use to them.
''Queenstown ratepayers are not being asked to support the [new] Wanaka pool,'' Sue Cutfield said.
Warwick Thompson believed the only benefit would be to Queenstown's commercial and accommodation sectors, including the airlines.
Bruce and Alison Hebbard agreed ratepayer funding must be restricted to those who would benefit from the centre.
''If it cannot be funded in this manner, then don't build it.''
Wanaka Residents Association president Sally Battson said the proposal would ''gobble up dollars'' which could be better spent elsewhere and place a significant, ongoing financial burden on the whole district's ratepayers.
''Queenstown and the surrounding areas are attracting consistently growing visitor numbers without recourse to a convention centre,'' she wrote.
''Any convention centre will be competing with proposed new convention centres in Auckland and Wellington and a possible alternative centre in Frankton.''
Many Wanaka ward submitters said the project should be left to private enterprise and referred to developer Alistair Porter's proposal for a convention centre at Remarkables Park, Frankton.
Malc Hodge said the idea of a council-funded convention centre in an area with such a small rating base was a ''nonsense''.
''Who in their right mind would even consider forcing this on to the ratepayers when the Porter Group is prepared, willing and able to provide a convention centre at their cost.''
Convention attendees would not have the ''time or inclination'' to make a trip to Wanaka, Mr Hodge said.
Dr W.A.N. Brown was also opposed to the use of ratepayer funds when privately funded options remained on the table.
''Community benefits ... would apply equally, if not more, to a privately funded facility.''
Terry Drayton said the centre was either viable as a stand-alone project, ''thus private enterprise will create it'', or it was not viable and not needed.
Liz Herrick remained unconvinced a convention centre should be in the town centre and urged the council to work with Mr Porter on a Frankton location.
June Turnbull said two convention centres in a town the size of Queenstown would mean neither would prosper.
Anthony Braithwaite and Rebecca Westoby said Queenstown was already too busy and its infrastructure was struggling to cope with its current population and visitor numbers.
Will Harvey said the council should ensure a scheme was in place to fund infrastructure development before ''significant risky projects'' such as the convention centre, which would bring increased visitor numbers.
Jan Kelly agreed the centre would only add to Queenstown's congestion ''woes''.
Among the few Upper Clutha residents in favour of the convention centre proposal were Kay and Stewart Elms.
''Go for it! Absolutely essential, a.s.a.p.,'' they wrote.
Peter Wilson believed a convention centre would be an ''invaluable facility'' for the area.
Hearings to consider submissions on the plan will take place in Queenstown on Monday and in Wanaka on Tuesday.
Convention centre
Queenstown convention centre; the Wanaka view:
• Wanaka ratepayers should not pay for something they will not benefit from.
• Leave it to private enterprise.
• Queenstown already attracts plenty of visitors.
• Existing Queenstown infrastructure will not cope.
