The Great North has welcomed the Government’s decision to begin exploring the potential for a future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid centred on the North of England.
Northern mayors and leaders wrote to Secretary of State Lisa Nandy in February, outlining the case for a Northern Games – based on the region’s venues, infrastructure, identity and public support to host a world-class Olympic and Paralympic Games across multiple city-regions.
Chair of The Great North and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:
“From our great cities and towns to our coastlines and countryside, the North has the venues, the passion and the sporting pride to deliver a world-class Olympic and Paralympic Games that showcases the very best of Great Britain to the world.
"A Great North Olympics would be a global showcase, leaving a legacy of prosperity, unity and renewal. It’s an opportunity not to be missed, delivering transformational investment in transport, regeneration and public spaces across the North of England. This could become the most people-powered Games ever hosted: inspiring millions of people into sport, volunteering and community action.
“Mayors and leaders across the North have made the case to Government, and I’m delighted ministers and sporting bodies are now exploring how we could turn this ambition into a reality. We stand ready to work together to develop a credible, deliverable vision that can make the case to the International Olympic Committee."
The proposal would see the Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted across a connected network of Northern towns and cities - building on existing venues and infrastructure while creating long-term benefits for communities across the region.
Leaders believe a Northern Games could become the most publicly engaged Games in Olympic history, creating a civic and volunteering movement on a scale never before seen around a UK sporting event, with tens of thousands directly involved in delivery and millions engaged through sport, culture and community activity.
The ambition would also support long-term regeneration and investment priorities already underway across the North, including transport connectivity, housing, public realm improvements and grassroots sport infrastructure.
The Great North said the emerging discussions with Government and sporting bodies represented an important step forward and reiterated its commitment to working collaboratively across regions and political boundaries to develop the proposition further.