City of Hamilton Mayor Lawson Mapp is confident the Corporation's ambitious waterfront plans can be delivered ? despite the huge cost.

This week the city unveiled a $639 million scheme to shift the docks, create new land for a hotel and housing and put in marinas and underground parks.

However Mr. Mapp was unable to say how much of the harbour would be lost to landfill.

Asked how Paget residents might feel about losing so much of the harbour they look out on Mr. Mapp said the plan was in its initial stages.

"People have the right to ask these questions."

Asked if the project was over-ambitious with so much landfill he said there were different techniques for extending shorelines including some which would allow the current to wash underneath the concrete.

On the enormous expense of the project he said: "It's certainly a big undertaking but we have some firms here ? three of them could pay for the whole thing.

"It is achievable. I don't know if it is achievable in my tenure."

The financing did not hinge on a casino being added explained Mr. Mapp who has previously said gambling could inject new life into the waterfront.

However he said entertainment was key to attracting tourists.

"We don't have any entertainment for the cruise ship visitors." He said other islands had shows, music and stuff for children.

"People off the ships want exciting local entertainment. They don't just want to sit in a bar getting drunk." He said Two-Rock Passage, which is currently just wide enough to let in current cruise ships, would not be affected by the plan, even though the new dock would be big enough for the larger ships.

This was a contingency measure said Mr. Mapp with the aim of sticking to the smaller ships which brought a higher class of passenger.

"We aim to take the niche ships. People with money don't want to travel in ships with 3,000 other people.

"They want nice ambience, gourmet dinners, ladies dressing up for dinner. These are the sorts of people we are trying to attract. "We don't want people coming in what I call the cattle ships."

He said the sewage plant ? built in 2002 at the cost of $7.5 million to last 50 years ? would stay where it was in the first phase of the building.

But he said the scale of the project would necessitate a re-examination of utility needs further down the line.

Asked about how the plans have been received he said: "The feedback has been fantastic ? you saw it from the Chamber who were so excited they were saying just get on with it."