Wellington mayor, Kerry Prendergast, says rugby bosses should be wary about moving the International Rugby Sevens from the capital, which has a proven track-record of running successful tournaments.
About 35,000 people attended the tournament on Friday and Saturday, injecting an estimated $16 million into the local economy.
The two-day event has been held in Wellington for 10 years. Its contract expires after next year's event.
The New Zealand Rugby Union has turned down a bid by Wellington to permanently host the event, and plans to put the hosting rights up for tender.
Ms Prendergast says Wellington will fight to retain the Sevens.
She says the one thing her city can guarantee is the atmosphere and Wellingtonians and an example of this is the difference between when football superstar David Beckham played in Wellington and Auckland.
Beckham played an exhibition match in front of sell-out crowds at Wellington's Westpac Stadium in 2007, but his Auckland appearance the following year was a flop, costing the Auckland Regional Council nearly $2 million.
NZRU defends tender process
New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew says it's only fair that other cities get a chance to tender their claims to host the event.
Mr Tew says his organisation turned down Wellington's bid to extend its hosting rights beyond 2011 to give other cities a chance to bid for it.
But he says Wellington has a significant head start because the city does an outstanding job, it has built up the event from scratch and Wellington has all the people and expertise to run the event.
Mr Tew says although it is hard to imagine another city putting up a more compelling case they must be given the opportunity.
He says it's up to the International Rugby Union board whether any New Zealand centre continues to host a leg of the Sevens.
