Prime Minister John Key won't rule out using taxpayer money to stop SkyCity's convention centre becoming an "eyesore".
Mr Key expressed doubts over the wisdom of insisting the casino operator sticks to the initial $402 million spending plan for the building of the convention centre.
"I'm keen to see the best convention centre I can for Auckland, because this is a very long-term asset, so I would hate to see some sort of eyesore constructed down town.
PM: SkyCity convention centre got too 'flash', New Zealand Herald, 16 February 2015:
Prime Minister John Key says the SkyCity convention centre plan grew in both size and "flashness" until a public backlash persuaded the Government not to spend any more money on it.
SkyCity may need to shrink its international convention centre after public funding was ruled out, prompting critics to question whether the plan for a "world-class, iconic" building in downtown Auckland is now fading away.
"It grew from 33,000 square metres to 38,000 square metres. It did get a bit flasher," he told Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB this morning.
"Some of the points SkyCity were making were totally valid. But in the end I just think that public opinion on this thing, rightly so, was: 'There's a deal, leave it as the contract said, even if SkyCity were right, it's possibly gone up a little more, we all need to live within our means', and that's what we are going to do."
So, from "eyesore" to "too flash" in just six days. But he didn't do any polling. And if you believe that, I have another international convention centre to sell you...