1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,279 Speaker 1: The capital is going to be flooded with Ed Sheeran 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: fans in January next year. This announcement comes after stars 3 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: like Lewis Capaldi and our very own Lord have skipped 4 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: over the city in their New Zealand tours. Chief Executive 5 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: of Wellington, New Zealand Mark oldershows with us a Mark 6 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: Keller heathers good, thank you. Did you have to convince 7 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: it to stop by? 8 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: It has been quoted in the past of saying Wellington's 9 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: is his favorite city in the world, so it's great 10 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: to see him back. 11 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 3: Did you have to convince it to stop by? 12 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: Not at all, Not at all. 13 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 3: No, I wasn't buying. I wasn't buying your quote there. 14 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:36,840 Speaker 3: Why does everybody else pass your mark? 15 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 2: Oh? Look, I think that's slightly unfair either. We've had 16 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 2: a look. In terms of sporting events, we have had 17 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 2: a couple of great weekends for Wellington with your Backs 18 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 2: and Wrexham, and we continue to attract like really good 19 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 2: events in concerts as well. We recognize that, you know, 20 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 2: we've got a significant stadium and and another arena that 21 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 2: holds about five and a half thousand people with not 22 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 2: a lot in between, so you know, there are some 23 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: challenges there, but there are all sorts of such challenges 24 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 2: right across New Zealand. At the moment, He's an expensive 25 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 2: place to come and you know, some of these some 26 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 2: of these concerts are pretty big concerts, so you know, 27 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 2: freight costs and all those sorts of things certainly play 28 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: into it. 29 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 3: When was the last time you guys had a gig 30 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 3: at sky Stadium? Was it front of the Food Fighters? 31 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 2: Yeah? I think it was. Yeah. Look, and I'm only 32 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 2: going on from memory as a member of the public. 33 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: I'm reasonably new into my position. But the Food Fighters 34 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: was a great concert each year and was here in 35 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three. Forty eight thousand people were in the stadium. 36 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: It was the biggest event that the stadiums ever held. 37 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 2: So you know, we're expecting the same this time as well. 38 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, congrats on the job. 39 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 2: Mark. 40 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 3: When did you take it? 41 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: About six weeks ago, so we've we've had a really, really, 42 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: really busy time and that last three people. 43 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 3: What were you doing beforehand? 44 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 2: I was with vocational education for a while, tistary education, 45 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: and then part of that, I've I've got a history 46 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 2: in tourism and events management. 47 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 3: Oh cool, Okay, see yeah, you do know, you do 48 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 3: know what you're doing. 49 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 2: Do you reckon? Do you reckon? 50 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: You've got your work cut out for you trying to 51 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: get Wellington's brand back up. 52 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 2: Look, I think I think, to be honest with you, 53 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: and I'm saying this slightly selfishly, it's a great time 54 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: to come onto this role, this job. I think I 55 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 2: think Wellington's, you know, starting to see that real turn 56 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 2: and you can sort of sense it. You can censor 57 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: talking to a hospitality sector, you can censor talking to 58 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 2: some of the businesses around here. I think Wellington's starting 59 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: to feel really positive about itself again. 60 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 3: What do you think is starting? 61 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:43,959 Speaker 1: Is it their local body elections at the end of 62 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: this year that's starting to turn things around? 63 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 2: Well I don't know. I mean, we'll we'll wait and 64 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 2: see what comes out of the local body elections. But 65 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 2: it's not for the public to decide what do you reckon? 66 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: Wellington needs to do to get the vibe back up. 67 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: And I'm just thinking that probably the best things that 68 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: happen in Wellington are organized events, right like Wow and 69 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: the Burger Festival. Wellington on a plate. Does it need 70 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,799 Speaker 1: some of those big events on the calendar to get 71 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: people back yes. 72 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 2: To would agree. I mean, look, those are great events 73 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 2: for Wellington and they're both coming up, and you know, 74 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: we're just about to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of wild 75 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 2: beeing in Wellington, which is a fantastic achievement. It's going 76 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 2: to be with us for a wee bit longer. Thus 77 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: certainly significant events. We do festivals really well in Wellington 78 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: as well, you know, with the likes of Cuba, Dooper 79 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 2: and a whole lot of things like that. So I think, 80 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 2: you know, we continue to look for events, for attractions, 81 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: for supporting events that suit Wellington, and you know that 82 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 2: my team, along with many others, continue to work really 83 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 2: really hard on that good stuff. 84 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: Hey, look, good luck with the job, Mark and enjoy 85 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: the ed sharing concert. 86 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 3: That's Mark oldish Or, Wellington New Zealand Chief Executive. 87 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 2: For more from Heather duplessy Ellen, drive Live to News 88 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 2: Talks It be from four pm weekdays, or follow the 89 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 2: podcast on iHeartRadio.