Do want to know all there is to know about the South West and the 2012 Olympic Games?
Sport England South West and the South West Regional Development Agency are gearing themselves up for the Olympics in 2012, and you can click on the following links for progress reports (September 2005, November 2005, December 2005 )
The most significant progress for the region has been the establishment of an efficent and effective structure for decision making, providing the capability to bring the aspirations of the region to fruition. Sport England South West are commited to setting up and resourcing a South West England operations team for the 2012 Games. This is a multiagency initiative involving the South West RDA, Sport England SW, the Government Office for the South West and the team responsible for Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. This will be headed up by a South West England Director for the 2012 Games. For more details on this structure, click here.
The region has ten facilities with a recent history or capacity to host international events. They are Badminton; Bath Rugby; Bristol Arena; Cheltenham Racecourse; Gloucester RFC; Gloucestershire CCC; Millfield; St Mellion; University of Bath; Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. For a full analysis of the Sporting and Cultural fabric of the South West, click here (pdf, 4.76mb). For a map of facilities in the South West, click here (pdf, 119kb).
London’s proposals for the 2012 Olympiad reflect the belief that, as important as the Games are as an event, they are equally importantfor the involvement which they generate; for the way in which they raise awareness of what sport has to offer; and for the legacy of increased opportunity which can remain long after the closing ceremony. For a detailed narrative of the Olympic legacy, click here. Of course, it's easy to see what the 2012 Olympic Games will bring to London, but what about the South West? Why should we be supporting the bid?
Sport England South West believe support should be an instinctive reaction because of the infectious excitement, passion, motivation and inspiration generated by the Games. Also, it's a matter of pride; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put all parts of Great Britain on the world stage. However, for the South West there is more to it than just the exhilaration of hosting the world's greatest sporting occasion. We're backing the games because of the opportunities it presents for new jobs, businesses, facilities and infrastructure.
Holding the Olympics in London presents the South West with real opportunities in the years leading up to 2012, as well as the year of the Games and into the future. So what are the opportunities?
New business
Hosting world-class pre-Olympic events
Athlete preparation camps
Promoting the South West to a worldwide audience
A mass volunteer recruitment drive
National torch relay and cultural programme
Improved sporting performance
Increased sports funding
Encouraging sport or physical activity
So what are we doing to help the bid? Sport England South West is working with the Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) to encourage businesses, communities, organisations and individuals to support the event.SWRDA are making presentations to business groups on the potential of the Olympics and together with Sport England South West, will take the message to the region's schools - pupils who are eight years old now could be competing in the 2012 games.
New business There is huge potential for firms in this region to win contracts to supply a range of goods and services, from construction and manufacturing to catering and merchandise. These opportunities will start soon. Businesses in New South Wales won A$1bn worth of contracts from the Sydney games and an additional A$300mn was generated by local business. Over 55,000 people received employment related training.
Hosting world-class pre-Olympic events Athletes from around the world will want to compete in this country and experience conditions here well before 2012. They will need the opportunity to compete in elite events and, as an Olympic host nation, we would be obliged by the IOC to stage large scale test events, such as world championships, 6-18 months before the games themselves. International sports federations, meanwhile, are keen to hold world, European and other championships in the host country so their athletes can acclimatise. The South West have superb, international-standard facilities that support the range of Olympic sporting disciplines, from athletics to equestrian events, and pentathlon to sailing.
Athlete preparation camps More than 200 nations will compete in the 2012 Olympic games and around 150 in the Paralympic Games and visiting teams from all over the world will want to acclimatise themselves in the run up to the Games, not only providing an economic boost but inspiring our young people. National governing bodies (NGBs) for each country's sport decide where they will train before the games. As well as excellent training facilities, they look for exclusivity, good transport links, decent accommodation and additional facilities for back-up office, medical and nutrition staff. Elite sports centres at places such as Bath will prove attractive to visiting teams.
Hosting a training camp can be a lucrative opportunity. Before the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Team GB spent A$6m while it trained at its base in Queensland. In New South Wales, 125 teams from 39 countries trained in the run up to the games, investing A$70m into the state's economy. This began in 1997 when the Belgian athletics team trained at Narrabeen. The prospect of hosting teams for months leading up to the games can also act as a catalyst for developing and refurbishing existing sports facilities.
Promoting the South West to a worldwide audience London 2012 offers an unrivalled opportunity to showcase the South West and encourage visitors to base themselves her before, during, or after the Games. Australia reported an additional 1.6million visitors due to the 2000 Games, visitors who ventured far beyond Sydney to explore the whole country, spending tens of thousands of pounds. Indeed, the tourist industry won't just boom during the four weeks that the Olympic and Paralympic games actually take place, but for months and years before and after the event. Price Waterhouse Coopers believe the Sydney games gave Brand Australia A$6.1bn worth of additional publicity and over A$6bn worth of spending from 1.6m visitors between 1997 and 2001. Between 1993 and 1996, after Sydney had been named as the host city for 2000, its convention and exhibition sector grew with the number of international visitors increasing by 78%.
A mass volunteer movement Seventy thousand volunteers will be needed to help run the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2012. This will require the biggest volunteer recruitment drive in the UK in peacetime, providing a unique boost to sport and general volunteering
National torch relay and cultural programme The Olympic torch will be carried through nearly every major town and city in the country, giving opportunities for celebrations of all kinds. In the lead-up to the Games, there will be festivals reflecting the UK's diverse culture and creativity.
Improved sporting performance The South West produced 4 gold medals for Team GB in Athens so could the region perform even better in 2012? Look at the evidence; Korea won 12 golds in Seoul in 1988 compared to just six in LA in 1984; Spain won 13 gold in Barcelona in 1992, it won only one in Seoul in 1988; Australia won 16 goals in Sydney in 2000, compared with nine in Atlanta in 1996
Increased sports funding The experiences of former host countries suggests that more money is invested in developing elite athletes during the years running up to the games. In addition, the games would be likely to generate unprecedented interest amongst businesses and local authorities. This, in turn, could open more funding for sport at all levels
Encouraging more people to take part in sport or physical activity The passion, excitement and interest generated by hosting the world's greatest sporting event can help the South West achieve its target of getting 50% of the population doing 30 minutes of exercise, five times a week, by 2020. This would have significant and well-documented health benefits
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