A four-member delegation from Birmingham’s city council will be attending the Melbourne Commonwealth Games to advertise Birmingham’s bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
According to the Birmingham Mail the delegation will promote Birmingham’s “unique” geographical position and its “growing reputation as a cosmopolitan and sporting centre”.
They will also push for national teams to use the city as a training base for the London’s 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Birmingham council taxes will be paying the bill for flights, accommodation, subsistence, a sports observer package and conference fees to the tune of more than 20,000 pounds, reports the newspaper.
Brian Stocks, a member of the delegation who was head of sport for the Manchester Commonwealth Games said, “Birmingham has developed an excellent international reputation for staging major sports events and needs to retain its competitive edge. There are huge economic and regenerative benefits that come from staging major sports events and we need to position Birmingham in that league. You have to do your homework to secure and deliver a successful event.
“We need to make sure that Birmingham gets a slice of the action both in terms of staging future major events and hosting training camps for teams competing in the 2012 Olympics”.
