There's a suggestion hosting the America's Cup is not the bonanza it's made out to be.

Auckland University Economics Professor Tim Hazledine says the supposed economic benefits are grossly overstated.

He says the Auckland Council and Government shouldn't call the money they put into the 2021 America's Cup defence an investment.

He told Mike Hosking the model used to justify the returns is wrong.

"It's assuming that all the people who'd be building the facilities for the Cup and all the people who'd be supplying the food and the restaurants and hotels and stuff for all the people who come for the Cup, would be otherwise totally unemployed.

"And that's ridiculous."

LISTEN ABOVE AS TIM HAZLEDINE SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING