The Mudtopia festival achieved a total revenue of $117,000, leaving ratepayers with $437,000 in total costs.

﻿If you paid the full price for Mudtopia tickets, look away now.

Organisers of the three day festival have revealed that 12,000 complimentary tickets were given away in total.

Festival co-director Scott Rice said 9000 free tickets were given to the community via schools, tertiary providers, sports groups, recreation facilities, businesses and community groups, with an additional 3000 tickets given to sponsors, partners, funders and for promotions and prizes.

BENN BATHGATE/STUFF Rotorua Lakes Council estimated 2000 people attended the Saturday night Mudtopia concert.

"We wanted to give Rotorua locals the opportunity to come along and experience the Mudtopia Festival for themselves and to have a really busy festival vibe," he said.

Rice said in total the festival had 14,000 visits across the weekend, including individuals coming and going multiple times.

"Complimentary tickets were a combination of individual Mud Pass and Family Mud Pass tickets and were very well received by the community when you look at the fantastic turn out."

BENN BATHGATE/STUFF The crowd certainly swelled for headliners Peking Duk.

Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams, however, was less impressed.

"The event was basically a 'rent-a-crowd', paid for by government grants and ratepayer money," he said.

"We are stunned that some councillors consider this event successful on the basis that people 'had fun'. The combined ratepayer and taxpayer subsidies were $55 per Rotorua household."

BENN BATHGATE/STUFF Porky and Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams earlier in the year when they present the Rotorua Lakes Council with a 'Supreme Certificate of Achievement and Imagination' in relation to their decision to import $90,000 of mud from South Korea (File).

Preliminary financial details released by Rotorua Lakes Council also revealed Mudtopia made just $117,000 and cost $1.48 million to stage, leaving Rotorua ratepayers' with costs of $437,000.

Organisers had earlier said attendance numbers were lower than hoped for, and the council report cited event timing, proximity to Christmas and an oversupply of concerts in the marketplace as challenges.

It was also revealed that external funding totalled $907,000 - a shortfall against budget of $80,000.

Sponsorship was also below the $60,000 budget at $35,000.

The total cost of the festival was revealed to be $1.48 million, $200,000 less than the initial business case.

Council also estimated Mudtopia contributed $285,000 to Rotorua's accommodation sector with 1556 bed nights.

Council said a full debrief and report will be presented to councillors' in the New Year to discuss future Mudtopia events.

In July the Taxpayers' Union presented Rotorua Mayor, Steve Chadwick, and council a 'Supreme Certificate of Achievement and Imagination' in relation to their decision to import $90,000 of mud from South Korea, a decision later abandoned.



