Everyone Is Here. All 12 syndicates participating in the America’s Cup Regatta are now based in the American Express New
Zealand Cup Village. The last to arrive was Young Australia who literally floated in courtesy of the floating crane
Hikinui.
While all the other syndicates are land based the
Australian team will be working off the water adjacent to Waitemata Plaza. Today saw the arrival in town of their
skipper, 20-year-old James Spitall. He sums up their situation by saying” With the oldest boat, youngest crew and
smallest budget, the challenge ahead is to harness our enthusiasm an
d show the world what we can do.”
· Anyone who doubted the enthusiasm of New Zealanders to embrace the America’s Cup regatta only needed to be in
the AMEX Cup Village on Saturday morning to see the level of interest starting to gather momentum. America True held a
special media morning, which started at 8 in the morning. Despite
the hour, despite it being a weekend and despite only about 30 being expected over 100 people attended, to be welcomed
by a very delighted Dawn Riley.
· The employment boom continues around the AMEX Cup Village. We recently ran a release about 800 people being
employed on construction sites in our general region. Another group in hot demand is experienced hospitality workers.
Many job opportunities have been created with all the corporate hospi
tality facilities within the Village and AMEX Yacht Club as well as the Village Pavilion
· The Village Pavilion is rapidly taking shape where the old city markets used to be. A wide range of retail
outlets will be based there including a hairdresser, Cut Above, a cyber café, an art gallery, New Zealand Art Embassy,
Whitcoulls and Aotea Souvenirs as well as a Pacific area promoting th
e Islands. A food hall will also be in operation, this will include Mc Donalds and Robert Harris.
· It appears the AMEX Cup Village is onto a winner with its free Tim Finn concert on October the 10th with phone
calls even being taken from south islanders keen to be here for the event.