Fan Entertainment Zones
If you have clients travelling to New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup 2011 who are keen to keep track of the live action make sure you tell them about the official ‘fan zones’ covering the country. The sites will provide enthusiasts without match tickets the chance to be part of the action and with a family-friendly, festival focus.
As well as the RWC 2011 matches on big screens the fan zones will feature live entertainment, opportunities to showcase New Zealand food, culture and music, visitor information and official RWC 2011 merchandise.
Auckland
Auckland’s fan zones will range in size from Queens Wharf, which will be open every day of the six-week tournament and is capable of hosting up to 20,000 people, to smaller sites open on selected days with capacities of up to 5000 people.
The Queens Wharf fan zone will be the focus of a public celebration on opening night - September 9, 2011 - and a wide variety of festival activity throughout the tournament.
Albany’s Civic Lakes fan zone will cater for up to 10,000 fans in two areas - one licensed area and one family friendly area with activities for children. It will also feature a floating screen on one of the lakes.
The Trusts Stadium in Waitakere to the west, and Manukau’s Pacific Events Centre in the south will be home to indoor fan zones complete with big screen action, entertainment and food and beverage areas. The Trusts Stadium will cater for up to 7000 people, while the Pacific Events Centre will have a capacity of up to 8000.
Wellington
Wellington’s Fan Zone aims to create a Rugby village centred around the Wharewaka (canoe house), being built on a site near the national museum - Te Papa - on the city's waterfront. It is scheduled for completion in January 2011.
The Rugby village base would be the first major use of the new facility and visitors would be offered a range of cultural activities including carvings, performances and an interactive history display.
The $11 million Wharewaka has been designed to house two ceremonial waka (canoes), exhibition and function areas, a café and a limited number of offices.
Dunedin
Dunedin's Octagon will be the venue for the Rugby World Cup 2011 fan zone. The Octagon will have two large screens, one in the upper Octagon, where a "family area" will be located, and another in the lower Octagon, which will have a stage for live performances.
The fan zone will be accessible to all, with free entry, local entertainment and food outlets, and a family-friendly environment.
