A Liverpool Commonwealth games bid.

[js1000]

Originally Posted by Chris B

The following Liverpool venues were listed in the 1996 bid book -

Fencing - International Garden Festival Hall (4000 capacity)
Football - Anfield & Goodison Park (respective capacities)
Modern Pentathlon (Fencing) - International Garden Festival Hall (4000 capacity)
Table Tennis - King's Dock Arena (10,000 capacity)

In addition, there would also have been competition at Chester, Haydock Park, and Pwllheli.

The following Liverpool venues were listed in the 2000 bid book -

Boxing - King's Dock Arena (10,000 capacity)
Football - Unspecified whether Anfield or Goodison Park or both
Volleyball - King's Dock Arena (12,000 capacity) and King's Dock Exhibition Centre (6000 capacity)

In addition, there would also have been competition at Haydock Park and Pwllheli.

I know 'North West' is a bit of a dirty phrase around here, but Manchester having the 1996 games would have been a real boost for the whole region. Imagine, had the 1996 bid succeeded, we would have got our arena nearly 15 years before we finally got one. We may also still have had the Festival Hall for mid-level events, which could have spurred the regeneration of the Festival Gardens again well over a decade before it happened. Even with the slightly down-sized Liverpool contribution to the 2000 bid, we would still have got our arena, and an exhibition centre which is only just being planned now.

Also given the complete mess Atlanta made of the 1996 Games, it's a real shame they didn't get the right to host, as based on the 2002 Commonwealth Games, I'm sure they would have done a much better job.

I agree with the point about Atlanta. The 1996 bid was just too early for Manchester, it was in depressed economic times like most cities in the north at the time. The list for the 2000 Olympics was far more competitive, Sydney, Beijing, Berlin, Manchester & Istanbul. Manchester did well finishing 3rd. I think if Manchester were up against Atlanta, Toronto, Melbourne & Belgrade again, backed by the government and I think the revitalised 2010-Manchester (as opposed the industrial depressed 1990 one) would have had a great chance.

Also, I look at the 2020 Olympics bid and only Tokyo, Istanbul & Madrid have made it to the final shortlist. I think if there is anything we can learn if you want to bid for the Olympics, then bid during a recession when the competition is weak. Compare the 1996 or 2020 shortlist when the bidding process was during a recession (1989 & 2013) to the 2000 shortlist (1993) when this wasn't the case.

Britain will host the Olympics again in 50 years time, however it will be up to another British city to come along rather than London. Nothing comes close to the Manchester/Liverpool/North West combination. It all depends whether both cities can regenerate and establish themselves as the capital of the north. I have great belief in the North West, no other region can claim to have the Lake District in Cumbria, history of Lancashire, the plains of Cheshire and two vibrant cities, which are unquestionably in terms of culture and influence the two most important cities outside of London.

[SteH]

Chrisb - from what I can recall during the run in to the 1996 bid they were very much saying it was a North West one hence events being so spread around, but it had to be in the name of a specific city. The 2000 one was much more city focused but did have a few events farmed out, its fair to say had either of those bids succeeded Liverpool could still have done very well out of them, but obviously we'll never know if Manchester would also have catapulted itself even further ahead than it is now.

[libbrit]

Here is the Echo letter page email address-if we all send a commonwealth games related letter, perhaps mentioning the petition, we might get our letters in

letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk

[libbrit]

Letter emailed to the Echo

Following the success that was the London olympics, and the success of the 2002 Commonwealth games in Manchester-an event that catapulted Manchester onto the world stage, it is surely time for the city council, and Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool (a man who declares “our best days are ahead of us”) to take the bold decision to bid for the commonwealth games in Liverpool,what with the bidding due to open in the coming years for the games of 2022 and 2026.

Let such a bid and if succesful, the games themselves, do for north Liverpool what the Olympics have done for East London. Let them be the catalyst for much needed renewal.

There is a petition on the council website and growing debate about this idea online.

Let's create our own London `legacy`

[libbrit]

its creeping up-32 sigs. Get this out there people, write to the papers!

[popcornmaster]

In my limited capacity I thought I would help out.
http://liverpoolstudentmedia.com/2012/08/why-not-us/

[Gherkin]

Venue wise, it's just too close to Manchester to warrant building a new velodrome (for instance). Yes, it's nice that Liverpool or Everton (or both!) will get a new stadium out of it but geographically it is easily close enough to share Manchester venues... which would undermine the entire bid.

[Kolothos]

I say go for it. The Commonwealth Games have regenerated one of the worst areas in Europe (Dalmarnock in Glasgow's East End), and now we have world class arenas: The Hydro and the NISA/Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome are the stand outs. I'd say that the Commonwealth Games are certainly a good stepping stone for any future Olympic bid. I'd certainly love to see a Liverpudlian games. I'm sure the opening ceremony would be top notch!

[sternslovchild]

Originally Posted by Kolothos

I'm sure the opening ceremony would be top notch!

It'd end up being Macca, could you listen to Live and Let Die again?

[Kolothos]

Liverpool has enough cultural 'meat' surely?

Glasgow should do well too, so long as The Proclaimers are kept well away from the Greater Glasgow region during the games!

[Paul D]

Originally Posted by sternslovchild

It'd end up being Macca, could you listen to Live and Let Die again?

It's unlikely he'd even be alive or performing at that age, he's seventy now.

[libbrit]

Urgh, if it was anhything to do with the Beatles i would hapilly extract my eyes with a spoon-there is more to Liverpool than them.

I think something very akin to the London2012 opening ceremony would be very appropriate-a whole historical thing showing Liverpools development as one of the great maritime cities, its decline in the 20th century and its re emergence in the 21st.

Anyway, the petition is going slow!

[libbrit]

Anthony shout out to everyone to write to the echo

letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk

in support of the bid

include reference to the link

http://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/...6&HPID=4197079

[design_man]

Originally Posted by Gherkin

Venue wise, it's just too close to Manchester to warrant building a new velodrome (for instance). Yes, it's nice that Liverpool or Everton (or both!) will get a new stadium out of it but geographically it is easily close enough to share Manchester venues... which would undermine the entire bid.

Good point, it would be uneconomic to duplicate the velodrome. And there must be some sports where, across the two cities, there is a need for new and additional facilities, and these could be built in Liverpool for a commonwealth games.

Would it make sense to consider a jointly hosted bid, ie bid for a Liverpool - Manchester games. There are very many cities around the world that cover a bigger geographic area than the Liverpool / Manchester corridor.

Such a bid might help improve the relationship between the two big city regions, now they are able to co-operate on a business-like and fraternal basis. Without the enforced co-operation (or forced subservience in Liverpool's case) brought about by the "Englandsnorthwest" mini-state and a central Government that has played "favourites", the city regions can start to work together on a case-by-case basis where their combined strengths give them an edge. If they worked together successfully on a joint games bid, they might then find they can work together to mutual benefit on other issues.

[libbrit]

Originally Posted by design_man

Good point, it would be uneconomic to duplicate the velodrome. And there must be some sports where, across the two cities, there is a need for new and additional facilities, and these could be built in Liverpool for a commonwealth games.

Would it make sense to consider a jointly hosted bid, ie bid for a Liverpool - Manchester games. There are very many cities around the world that cover a bigger geographic area than the Liverpool / Manchester corridor.

Such a bid might help improve the relationship between the two big city regions, now they are able to co-operate on a business-like and fraternal basis. Without the enforced co-operation (or forced subservience in Liverpool's case) brought about by the "Englandsnorthwest" mini-state and a central Government that has played "favourites", the city regions can start to work together on a case-by-case basis where their combined strengths give them an edge. If they worked together successfully on a joint games bid, they might then find they can work together to mutual benefit on other issues.

When it comes to pointlessly duplicating existing structures that already exist in Manchester, its worth considering how Liverpool is more linked to the north wales area than Manchester-put the velodrome on the wirral-its within the north wales catchment area, more easilly accessible to parts of cheshire in and around Chester,further away from Manchester, yet within spitting distance of liverpool and gives the handy excuse to name it the Chris Boardman Velodrome

As for a lot of other venues-duplication neednt be a hinderance but a help to any bid. One of the constant criticisms of sport in the UK is the relative sparseness of facilities (australia for example has 1/3 our population but 2/3 as many olympic sized swimming pools)

[EuxTex]

Originally Posted by libbrit

Urgh, if it was anhything to do with the Beatles i would hapilly extract my eyes with a spoon-there is more to Liverpool than them.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people around the planet are not interested in Liverpool for anything but "them". That being the case then those responsible for promoting the city would be remiss, indeed, if they didn't use the Beatles connection to the maximum. There are thousands of cities, world-wide, who would love a Beatles connection of some kind.

[Scousertommy]

Originally Posted by Gherkin

Venue wise, it's just too close to Manchester to warrant building a new velodrome (for instance). Yes, it's nice that Liverpool or Everton (or both!) will get a new stadium out of it but geographically it is easily close enough to share Manchester venues... which would undermine the entire bid.

Out of interest would you say the same if Leeds applied to hold the commonwealth games?

I woudn't be against holding the cycling in Manchester, but judging by how much british cycling is growing (partly due to success from cyclists who train at the Manc Velodrome) I think I new velodrome at Liverpool is viable.

[HollyBlack]

Originally Posted by libbrit

... As for a lot of other venues-duplication neednt be a hinderance but a help to any bid. One of the constant criticisms of sport in the UK is the relative sparseness of facilities (australia for example has 1/3 our population but 2/3 as many olympic sized swimming pools)

Competitive swimming. In the Mersey.
When the Mersey was a lot more polluted and up to about ten years ago (not sure exactly when it ended) there was an annual policemen swim from Seacombe to New Brighton. With ferry in attendance to mop up any stragglers (there usually weren't any).

Competitive shotgun (clay targets) would be popular too.

[libbrit]

City games bid

FOLLOWING the success that was the London Olympics, and the success of the 2002 Commowealth Games in Manchester – an event which catapulted Manchester onto the world stage – it is surely time for the city council, and Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool (a man who declares "our best days are ahead of us") to take the bold decision to bid to host the Commonwealth Games in Liverpool with the bidding due to open in the coming years for the games of 2022 and 2026.

Let such a bid and if successful, the games themselves, do for North Liverpool what the Olympics have done for East London. Let them be the catalyst for much needed renewal.

There is a petition on the council website and growing debate about this idea online.

Let's create our own London legacy.

Andrew James, on email

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/views...0252-31662774/

Look whose letter made it into the Echo letters page.

Come on people, get promoting the petition!

[libbrit]

I'm bumping this-the take up on the petition is.......slow, to say the least