Wellington iwi say their wharewaka (canoe house) being built on Wellington's waterfront will be the ideal entertainment centre for the Rugby World Cup.
The $11 million building across the road from Wellington's stadium will include cafes, exhibition and function areas capable of hosting up to 1200 people.
Sir Ngatata Love, chair of the Wharewaka o Poneke Charitable Trust, says it will give tangata whenua the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from the cup.
He says visitors to New Zealand and to Wellington will be able to see and enjoy Maori art and crafts and historical material at the centre.
Sir Ngatata Love says the trust starts an employment training course next month aimed not just at staffing the wharewaka but at other World Cup related positions.
