World Cup News: The election of a new mayor of Auckland has thrown plans for the redevelopment of the Eden Park stadium for the 2011 Rugby World Cup into doubt.
New Zealand media report that John Banks's overwhelming victory in the Auckland mayoralty race over the incumbent Dick Hubbard threatens plans to boost the stadium's capacity to 60,000, the International Rugby Board's stipulated minimum capacity for a semi-final and final venue.
A key platform of Banks's successful election campaign was opposition to Auckland City Council ratepayers contributing directly to the 190 million New Zealand dollars (104 million) redevelopment.
Following his election Banks renewed his pledge to pull all ratepayer funding from the upgrade, and he has received strong backing from a right-wing-dominated council.
Eden Park Redevelopment Board chairman John Waller last month said the Auckland Regional Council was willing to contribute 30 million New Zealand dollars (€16.4 million) to the Eden Park project.
He said another 20 million New Zealand dollars (€10.9 million) would be devoted to transport, amenity and design improvements in the immediate neighbourhood. While Banks will back that part of the proposal, the contribution of 30 million New Zealand dollars to construction seems unlikely.
Banks said he opposed the spending on the grounds the government had just announced a huge budget surplus.
"The prime minister has an 8.6-billion-dollar surplus, and she wants the ratepayers of Auckland to stump up the cash? It's unfair," Banks told the Herald on Sunday newspaper.
Banks's anti-funding stance looms as a major sticking point as he has the numbers to block spending on Eden Park because the right-wing Citizens and Ratepayers (C&R) ticket won 11 of the 19 council seats.
• France lock Sebastien Chabal has been cited for an alleged dangerous tackle on England lock Simon Shaw during his side's 14-9 World Cup semi-final defeat by the holders on Saturday, tournament organisers said yesterday.
A hearing will take place in Paris today.
