Rugby test 'massive' for city

Rugby fans during the Wales v All Blacks rugby test at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night....
Rugby fans during the Wales v All Blacks rugby test at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night. Photo: Gerard O'Brien
Rugby fans enjoy the night in a packed stadium. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Rugby fans enjoy the night in a packed stadium. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Ray Milford, of Invercargill, shows his support for the All Blacks. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Ray Milford, of Invercargill, shows his support for the All Blacks. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Welsh fans at the stadium. Photo:  Photo: Peter McIntosh
Welsh fans at the stadium. Photo: Photo: Peter McIntosh

The first All Blacks test in Dunedin in two years has delivered millions of dollars in benefits to the city.

The match attracted a capacity crowd of 28,726 at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night, with economic spin-offs for city businesses and accommodation providers.

Hospitality Association of New Zealand Otago branch president Mark Scully said those he had spoken to were hailing the weekend as "very successful''.

"There was a good crowd and it was well-behaved,'' he said.

"It was very busy.

"As soon as we get a full house at the stadium it's busy.

"The visitors spend a lot of money and motivate the locals to get out and join them.''

Dunedin Venues Management Ltd marketing and communications manager Kim Barnes said an economic impact survey of the test match would "hopefully'' be completed within the next month.

Previous figures have shown more than half the crowd generally comes from outside the city.

Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dougal McGowan said the event could provide about $10million for the city across the weekend.

"We know these events are massive for the city - absolutely massive.''

A police spokesman said the test provided few headaches for police.

The match commander praised crowd behaviour at the game, saying he was "very pleased with how it all went'', the spokesman said.

One person was arrested and two others were evicted from the stadium during the match.

Behaviour in the city afterwards was good, with no arrests attributed to the match, he said.

The All Blacks' last test match at Forsyth Barr Stadium - against England in June 2014 - injected an estimated $8.15million into the city's economy, according to an economic impact survey by Dunedin Venues Management Ltd.

The next All Blacks test match in Dunedin is against Australia on August 26 next year.

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