Loren Heaphy, general manager of destination and attraction at promotional and economic development agency ChristchurchNZ, said it was an “entirely different event to those we typically attract to Christchurch”.
It would draw visitors, stimulate the economy, and boost the city’s reputation as a venue for major events, she said.
SailGP sought a New Zealand leg for its upcoming season because of the country’s entry into the event.
Supplied
American, Australian, British and Chinese catamarans line up in the SailGP event in San Francisco, USA, in 2019.
Details of the contract with SailGP were commercially sensitive, Heaphy said.
The city was chosen partly due to Lyttelton Harbour’s favourable wind conditions and spectator possibilities.