But it could be improved in two years if more funding is available to the organising committee.
A total of 5379 athletes competed in Dunedin last week. The city's most successful games was in 2000 when there were 8000 competitors.
''At that time we were running neck and neck with the Australian Masters Games,'' the chairman of the Dunedin Masters Games Trust John Bezett said.
''But we are still not far away from them.''
''Last year they had 12,000 competitors on the Gold Coast,'' Bezett said.
''It is a venue that is well organised with great staff and it is funded by the Queensland State Government and the Australian Federal Government.''
''They have grown from 8000 to the 12,000 they got the year after the World Masters in Sydney,'' Bezett said.
He said larger numbers of competitors build momentum.
''The town comes alive,'' Bezett said.
''We just do it with 5000 competitors but if we had 10,000 Dunedin would be jumping.''
An independent assessment is made after each games of the economic impact on Dunedin and it has been consistently over $5 million for the past seven games.
''This is based on a very small outlay by the ratepayers,'' Bezett said.
''It is a huge financial benefit to the city.''
The World Masters Games in Sydney attracted 24,000 competitors. A similar number of competitors can be expected at the World Masters Games in Auckland in 2017.
''We have the expectation that it will leave a legacy from which we can benefit,'' Bezett said.
''It is simple. Numbers come back to funding. If we have the money we can put the right people in the right place to grow our games.''
Dunedin has a fulltime staff of three employed in the months leading up to the games.
Games manager Vicki Kestila will be the only person employed fulltime over the next two years.
''On the off year, the manager does other council work as well,'' Bezett said.
The Pan Pacific Games has a permanent fulltime staff of five and a year out from the games it has a staff of 20.
''We can make our games a lot better if we had more financial support,'' Bezett said.
''It's important to have central government backing us. They need to take masters sport seriously.''
It will save the Government money because the older New Zealand athletes training for the games are keeping healthy and looking after their fitness.
''It is worthwhile putting money into because it will save money in the long run,'' Bezett said.
''At the local level there is recognition that the games are a worthy event to support.''
The next step is to get the message across to the .politicians in Wellington.
New Games manager Vicki Kestila must be given credit for the smooth running of last week's games in Dunedin.
''The sports co-ordinators did an excellent job to help competitors enjoy themselves,'' she said.
''There was a positive feeling when I visited the different sports venues.''
Kestila does not expect any big changes in the next two years.
''We will look at the little things,''she said.
''We are always looking to improve our games.''
There will be the usual review and debrief.
''We expect to have the final report completed by the end of March,'' Kestila said.
There was positive feedback from competitors for the decision to take the headquarters back to the University Union.
''We are lucky to have a venue like the university,'' Kestila said. ''It was a purpose fit for us. I can't wait until the next games.''
