Focus on transaction: Geddes

The Queenstown Airport terminal building, seen from the Remarkables Ski Area access road. Photo...
The Queenstown Airport terminal building, seen from the Remarkables Ski Area access road. Photo by James Beech.
The discussion to date of the transaction itself in the Queenstown Airport Corporation and Auckland International Airport Ltd (AIAL) strategic alliance has been "scant", Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddes said yesterday.

In notes sent to various members of the Queenstown community, Mr Geddes said it was time to draw attention back to the transaction and the benefits it provided.

Mr Geddes raised 12 points in the memorandum, which was "not an opinion piece".

In it, he said, prior to the transaction, Queenstown Airport Corporation's debt was $36 million and the company estimated that would rise to $51 million in the next three years.

"If growth stops in that period there are risks to the shareholder of that level of indebtedness," he said.

The issuing of a 24.99% new shareholding to AIAL for $27.7 million reduced Queenstown airport's debt to $9 million. The second tranche option could raise another $20 million, putting Queenstown airport in a position to "comfortably accommodate the debt demands of its capital works programme at little or no risk to the shareholder".

"The significant reduction in debt servicing enabled by the share issue has allowed QAC to identify that an annual dividend is able to be paid to its shareholders.

"As the 65% shareholder the community of the Lakes District, through the QLDC, will receive an annual dividend of $2 million plus and growing over time.

"The council and the community will be able to determine for themselves the best use of this return on community capital secure in the knowledge that the asset that creates it remains firmly in their control.

"This transaction provides a wide range of benefits to all of the parties involved.

"The community may wish to continue to consider these as it evaluates the comments currently being made and reported."

Mr Geddes said QAC would be able to "safely proceed" with developing its land on a "leaseback basis", rather than develop and then sell the land.

"Creating a significant non-airport-related cash flow reduces the risk to the company in the event of a downturn in the visitor industry."

A shareholder evaluation process undertaken, by QAC assessed which parties could provide the funds being sought and there were "clearly" a large number of candidates.

However, AIAL, a publicly listed company, was selected because of its ability to bring "significant strategic value".

"The company has a strong asset base and an aggressive programme of route and airline development which enhances the market available to Queenstown," Mr Geddes said.

"QLDC will further protect its majority shareholding and its control over the company by negotiating a shareholders agreement with AIAL that secures pre-emptive rights over share sales by the parties, agrees the basis for any future increases in the share base of the company and identifies the proportion of directors on the board," he said.

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