It’s Bermuda

Stuff reports:

Bermuda has been confirmed as the venue for the 2017 America’s Cup.

America’s Cup commercial commissioner Harvey Schiller made the announcement at a media conference in New York on Tuesday (Wednesday NZT), confirming it for June, 2017.

Bermuda beat Californian yachting stronghold San Diego for the rights to host the 35th edition of the regatta.

The decision casts a shadow over Team New Zealand’s involvement. …

The decision means an economic challenge for Team New Zealand.

The government has indicated Bermuda is far less attractive for their gains out of another sponsorship. They preferred San Diego’s ability to deliver to the lucrative American market, particularly the strong west coast region.

The government handed out $36m for the last campaign and have already contributed $5m to this latest effort as Grant Dalton’s syndicate hung in the balance after San Diego, unable to confirm sponsorships until more details for the next event were confirmed.

Team New Zealand had built financial cases around both potential venues, believing they could make either work.

Their challenge now will be to accommodate the quirky location of Bermuda, a sailor’s paradise but comparative commercial desert.

I wish Team New Zealand well in finding commercial sponsors but I think the choice of venue makes the case for Government sponsorship even weaker. I’m against any further Government money.