Auckland Council’s new cultural and economic agency called Auckland Unlimited

Auckland Council’s new economic, cultural and events agency will be called Auckland Unlimited.

Mayor Phil Goff says the name conveys a sense of the city’s vast and endless potential and fits an organization whose role is to promote Auckland as a great place to visit, study and invest.

Auckland Councilors today decided on the name of the new council-controlled organization created from the merger of Auckland’s regional facilities and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (Ateed).

The merger of the two CCOs was the main recommendation of an independent review of the council’s five CCOs, and was approved by the governing body on August 27. The merger is expected to generate savings of $ 67 million over 10 years.

Goff said the new CCO brings together the functions of economic development, tourism, cultural facilities and sports.

Ateed has been the city’s tourism arm, responsible for major cultural events and festivals, such as the V8 Supercars, the Lantern Festival, Diwali and Pasifika, and economic development.

RFA has operated major event venues in the city such as the Aotea Center, Civic Theater, Mt Smart, and Western Springs. He also runs the Auckland Art Gallery and Auckland Zoo, and donates money to the Auckland Museum, Motat, Stardome and the Maritime Museum.

Nick Hill, the Ateed CEO who has been appointed CEO of Auckland Unlimited, said there was significant research and commitment to develop the name.

“Auckland Unlimited is an ambitious name that our teams at RFA and Ateed can be proud of, and we hope it will resonate with our community as well as we work to deliver excellent results for Auckland,” said Hill.

Mike Lee, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Auckland, preferred the “sweet and nimble two-letter brand name” to the complicated acronyms Ateed and RFA.

“It embraces the idea that Auckland is a diverse place and has unlimited potential,” he said.

Lee said the name reminded him of the New Zealand Pure brand developed by Tourism New Zealand.

“They are promoting Auckland as an experience rather than concrete tangible services like Watercare and Auckland Transport, and they are going for more of that experience and marketing vibe,” he said.

Goff said that with Hill’s recent appointment as CEO and a new name, Auckland Unlimited is on track to be fully operational in December.

The new agency will also have the name Te Reo Maori, which has a slightly longer term.

It has not yet been decided how the names will be used in English and you reo Maori.

The new names will not replace Auckland’s existing destination brand – the worn Auckland “A”.