Nelson City Council has backed a $7 million plan to upgrade the city's outdated rugby headquarters, Trafalgar Park.
The council wants to meet a deadline to bid for hosting rights at the 2011 World Cup, but the park has to be improved before Nelson can be considered.
Councillors say this proposal is a cautious alternative to a more lavish $20 million option.
But some councillors have questioned the move, saying there is no guarantee Nelson will succeed in its World Cup bid and there may be few big games at the park in future.
Councillor Denise Henigan, who voted against it, says the money could be better spent on other sports.
"For a whole lot less investment we could get a lot more economic development. We should be focusing on our points of difference in Nelson rather than following the crowd and doing what other cities are doing," she says.
