Birmingham named candidate city for potential UK 2022 Commonwealth Games bid
Birmingham bid impresses independent panel and government who view it as preferred option for successful 2022 Commonwealth Games bid.
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Government thanks both Liverpool and Birmingham for their hard work and will now consider if the preferred bid offers overall value for money for the taxpayer
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Government will subsequently decide if a formal bid is to be submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation
Birmingham has been selected as the preferred UK candidate city for a potential bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
A compelling business case must now be pulled together, showing clear value for taxpayers money to receive government funding towards an official bid.
The decision comes after an independent assessment panel and officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport made the recommendation for Birmingham to Ministers.
The government will now make a final decision, in consultation with Commonwealth Games England, if the UK will submit a formal bid to the Commonwealth Games Federation, with Birmingham as the proposed candidate city.
If Birmingham’s bid passes this final stage of assessment then a formal bid will be submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation in the coming weeks.
Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said:
I am grateful to the bid teams from both Birmingham and Liverpool for their hard work in making the case for their respective cities as potential Commonwealth Games hosts.
Now, after a comprehensive assessment process, the government will look at the final bid proposal from Birmingham and decide if a formal bid will be submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation. We need to be completely satisfied that the bid offers overall value for money from hosting the Games and that a strong economic and sporting legacy can be delivered from it.
The UK has fantastic expertise in hosting the biggest events in sport, as recently showcased at the London 2017 World Para Athletics and IAAF World Championships, and if we are to bid and are selected to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022 I have no doubt that Birmingham would host an excellent sporting spectacle.
While both bids were of high quality, Birmingham’s bid was considered particularly strong on its management of risk, its high quality existing venue infrastructure and its plans for a long term sporting legacy.
Both Birmingham and Liverpool were put through a rigorous two phase assessment process to test their hosting credentials that included two formal applications and two site visits to each city.
Notes to Editors
For further information please contact:
José Riera, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 020 7211 6971