Tauranga City councillor Gail McIntosh is seeking public feedback on where the controversial 75-metre waka pavilion should sit if it comes to Tauranga.

Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby confirmed to SunLive on Tuesday that discussions to place the $2 million pavilion on Tauranga's Waterfront for two-five years were underway between various city organisations.

Tauranga City councillor Gail McIntosh.

Gail is in support of the idea but is opposed to the proposed location on The Strand.

'I just want to ask the public what they think of it,” says Gail.

'And I want to know where people want it placed, because I don't want it on The Strand. I think great idea, but somewhere else.”

She says councillors are yet to be approached formally on the issue, but understands the waka will not be ratepayer funded.

A strategic working group understood to include individuals from various organisations including Priority One and Bay Venues Limited is assessing a proposal to bring the pavilion from San Francisco, and re-assemble it on The Strand reclamation, ideally before the end of the year.

The 75-metre lozenge-shaped pavilion was originally designed for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in 2011 at was first displayed on Auckland's Viaduct.

It was later shipped to San Francisco as part of the Team NZ America's Cup campaign.

'At this stage we are just looking at the prospect of bringing the waka to Tauranga and the feasibility of placing it in the city centre,” says project initiator Sally Cooke.

As discussions progress to a feasibility and business case stage, Sally hopes to answer questions over whether it would be financially viable and beneficial on the Tauranga Waterfront.

'We are in the very early stages conceptually, of something we believe could be of significance and of value to the city and the region.

'And we're working with a number of local parties and stakeholders and organisations to make sure if it did go ahead it worked for everybody.”

She says this includes partnering with local iwi and all relevant parties.

'It's an ambitious project, but a fantastic opportunity for the city. What we are hoping to create is combining culture and innovation and technology into one centre.”

In one sense bringing the waka to Tauranga will be bringing it home.

Tauranga advertising agency Carlin Valenti was involved in the team that conceived the Waka Maori project prior to the RWC in 2011.

Then director Darrell Carlin says he had thought after the World Cup that the waka would be an ideal venue to have in Tauranga as a visitor arrival hall and information centre for cruise ship passengers.

'It was a project that was attacked more than any other in the RWC but it was the cheapest by a mile and in the end the most popular.

'As an events centre it is ideal particularly if it is focused on offshore visitors.

'We found foreign tourists wanted to see anything to do with Maori cultural stuff. Locals could take or leave it.”

The total cost was $1.8 million of which $900,000 was the cost of the waka and the other $900,000 was the cost of the performers and running events, says Darrell.

Tauranga Te Reo project manager Pat Spellman says an opportunity to place the waka on the Waterfront is one he fully supports.

'I can see this playing a huge role in housing Tauranga heritage and history - not only for the Pukehinahina exhibition but also as a house for other Tauranga displays of history; essentially progressing the concept of a Tauranga Museum.”

He says conversations with the three local iwi should be established to see what part, if any they'd like to play - including how contributions toward funding could be arranged.

'High profile businesses and other avenues of funding - this is not a Waka that's set sail up a stream of no hope and little options, this is an opportunity to become home to a piece of history, and add to our CBD revitalisation plans.”

Look out for Gail's feedback form in Friday's edition of The Weekend Sun.