Venues: Top event boss says Taranaki can sell itself better

Will Johnston

New Zealand’s major event boss wants Taranaki to sell itself as a top place for international sports events.

 

Major Events manager Kylie Hawker-Green relocated from Taupo last year when her husband Gareth took the top job at the New Plymouth District Council.

 

The mother-of-three works remotely with the role falling under the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. Her team partners with sports organisations to host major events with international significance. While the department has no say on where events are held, they can support them through the Major Events Fund.  

 

Part of the bidding process involves looking at where venues are situated, connectivity and accommodation – something the region has, she said.

 

“Taranaki is really well serviced with high-quality facilities. Another great thing Taranaki offers is the proximity to those facilities to the CBD. You can walk up to Yarrows, the TSB Stadium and Pukekura Park. Not many cities can offer that.”

 

She said Taranaki can leverage off those strengths during its sales pitch when bidding for high-quality events.

 

While she admits she’s not fully across the sports hub situation, she has been watching the redevelopment of Yarrow Stadium and potentially Pukekura Park closely.  

 

“I’ve had a chat to the team at Yarrow Stadium and encouraged them to have a look at what’s planned or coming to New Zealand over the next few years. It’s over to them to be proactive to try and secure the content.”

 

Since being in the province for a year, the self-confessed sports nerd has already seen her fair share of top content.

 

“I’ve been blown away by how much great sports content there is here. I loved the Breakers here and I was looking forward to the Airs’ opener. There’s a real richness of sport here, which is great.”

 

She’s noticed sports are often better received and supported in the regions compared to metro environments. She’d know after a stint on Northern Districts cricket board and was the chair until November last year. She’s since been opted onto Taranaki Rugby’s board as an appointed director at the recent AGM.

 

“New Zealand is a great place for regional sport and there is a really strong heartland spirit. We have a good national distribution of content.”

 

She used Taranaki’s national provincial championship win in October as an example. She said it demonstrated that heartland support and the growing popularity of afternoon rugby.

 

“You can take the kids down on a beautiful afternoon and have a really good family experience, you don’t always get that in a big city and [at] eight o’clock at night on a Saturday.”

 

But hosting large-scale events comes at a cost. Hawker-Green said there might be some give and take, where a city might host one event, at the expense of another.

 

“That’s the reality of the costs that come with that.”

 

Hosting large-scale sport in Taranaki is not only empowering to young fans, but it’s economically beneficial and provides a sense of community pride, she said.  

 

“Those are the three hidden benefits beyond what’s happening on the field.”