Warning over Commonwealth Games costs
FORMER Bristol City FC chairman Colin Sexstone has warned that bringing the Commonwealth Games to Bristol could see the city landed with a bill running into tens of millions of pounds.
Mr Sexstone, who now runs his own business consultancy, was responding to a pledge by Labour mayoral candidate Marvin Rees to bid for the games to come to the city if he is elected as mayor on Thursday.
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Former Bristol City FC chairman Colin Sexstone
Mr Sexstone said: "It's a very laudable idea and of course I would like to see the games in Bristol.
"But I just wonder if it has been properly costed out. At the very least, a new athletics stadium would be needed which would cost a minimum £100 million and where would it be built?
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"I'm all for these kind of events – I brought the cricket World Cup to Bristol in 1999 and helped to ensure that Bristol was selected as a host city for the 2018 World Cup but I just don't see how bringing the games here is achievable.
"It's a bright idea but I think you have to be realistic."
Mr Sexstone backs Bristol 1st candidate George Ferguson to be the best mayor to improve sport in the city.
Mr Sexstone said: "In the past few years, both the Liberal Democrats and Labour have had a go at running the council and some of the party political candidates have made various pledges.
"But the fact of the matter is, they should have done years ago what they are now promising.
"I've been a sports administrator in Bristol for 16 years and I've had many dealings with the city council but frankly, I have absolutely no confidence that either Labour or the Liberal Democrats will be able to deliver on sport – either in what they are saying or understand what the clubs and sports people want.
"That's why I am recommending to all sports people to give their support to George Ferguson.
"He has a strong business background and a track record for getting things done."
Mr Sexstone said it should not be underestimated what professional sports clubs do for the community but this aspect of their work is often forgotten.
He said: "I know George Ferguson has done a lot of work in the community and fully appreciates the role of sports clubs."
On Friday, The Post revealed that Mr Rees wants to bring the Commonwealth Games to Bristol in 2022 or 2026.
His pledge has received the backing of both professional football clubs, Bristol Rugby Club and a number of leading sports people in the city.
Mr Rees has said: "Britain saw the huge impact that the Olympics had on the whole country but particularly on London and it is time for Bristol to reach out with similar ambition."
He said the process to win the Games would start with a feasibility study before submitting a formal bid.
He said that even if the bid was not successful, it would raise the profile of the city. Smaller cities have held the Games in the past, such as Victoria in Canada in 1994.
Comments
by katachua
Tuesday, November 13 2012, 12:20AM
“@Trymriverman
"Marvin could probably propose nuking Cardiff and he might still win."
Has he? Sounds like a winner to me...
That was a joke, for the dimwitted among us.”
by gary_hopkins
Monday, November 12 2012, 10:23PM
“As a cabinet you have to look at all sorts of future developments that might prove beneficial and test them for practicality.Some are off the wall but just occasionally something that seems very difficult can be achieved.
So the new football grounds(although 1 is held up by Labour's TVG legislation),world cup rugby,international cricket in the city are all practical and after some delays should progress as are 1 or 2 high class swimming events now we have that pool.
It took us a very short time indeed to dismiss the Commonwealth games suggestion for all the practical reasons that some have already pointed out.
I do not know which would be more worrying
1 There is not enough analytical ability to see that this is a non runner
2 That it is being floated anyway knowing it is a non runner.
Certainly worrying that if Labour win within weeks Marvin would be having to produce a budget with £28m savings. Although we have managed these sort of savings over both of the last 2 years without wholesale closures or service cuts can anyone honestly see Labour doing it. They could not balance the books in boom times.”
by green_man
Monday, November 12 2012, 9:40PM
“We need a Mayor who meets tests of competence, credibility and coherence. Marvin Rees does not currently meet these tests: he's not sufficiently experienced or qualified; and keeps putting out firm committments that he clearly has not got proper coherent plans or costings for - this story about the Comonwealth Games being a case in point. He's been pulled away from being a more candid candidate by the tribal nature of Bristol's party politics and if he becomes Mayor his terms will be clouded by it.”
by bris28
Monday, November 12 2012, 1:25PM
“Can the Labour party guy explain why I have not seen him or his minions pounding the streets of Clifton (where I live) to tell us about his "New Jerusalem" should he win? Why hasn't he shoved his leaflets through letter boxes in this patch? He seems to be discriminating about who shall learn about his "New Paradise". Hardly democratic is it, Merlin? Let's hear from you.”
by whammmy
Monday, November 12 2012, 12:44PM
“The Commonwealth Games - a total non-event in terms of Global reach.
Unless you think that beating India at cycling and thrashing Canada at athletics is a worthwhile enterprise.
Waste of time, money and space IMO.”
by Joke_Bristol
Monday, November 12 2012, 12:07PM
“@vrwrtuy
The bloke's been a disgrace throughout. As someone who has been following this election closely on social media it's given me a rather depressing insight into the spiteful, vicious world of bullying and lies employed by Labour, God alone knows how badly they behave inside Westminster. The thought of people like Lewis having any influence on how my city is run is genuinely nauseating and with Marvin Rees already stating that he will have an all Labour cabinet I can imagine him being in the inveitable cabal of 'advisers' we'll end up paying for. I reckon there is a strong chance of Labour bankrupting Bristol within six months. A middle-management puppet run by London, what a treat.”
by vrwrtuy
Monday, November 12 2012, 11:42AM
“Can I just point out that the word that my previous post was asterisked out was the word
's-l-a-g' and not what it looks like. Maybe the auto-edit assumes any 4 letter word before off must be a swear one.”
by vrwrtuy
Monday, November 12 2012, 11:39AM
“Have you seen the Twitter Account of BristolRed - "I'm Chair of Bristol Labour Party, I like Democratic Socialism, Bristol, Jazz, Scotch Whisky & Welsh Rugby Union"
Any true Bristolian would support Bristol Rugby and certainly not anything from Wales
His whole campaign has been to **** off who he sees as the rivals to the Labour Candidate. The Labour campaign involves going to places like Southmead and Filwood and promising them increases to minimum wage in order to get cheap votes
What people want to see for Bristol are improvements amenities and transport that will assist the whole of Bristol. It should not be an opportunity for Labour to get their grubby little hands on a pot of money to use for 'socialist purposes'”
by bris28
Monday, November 12 2012, 11:20AM
“Obviously that Labour guy who desperately wants to run the city with his cabinent of six labour councillors will come up with any daft idea he thinks will being him a vote. Won't be getting mine. As for that fella Sexstone I thought it was about time he popped again for some more self-publicity. His name hasn't been in print for several weeks. What sort of consultancy does he run?
Anyone know? Am surprised that he didn't stand for Mayor. He'd solve all our problems in thirty minutes.”
by Joke_Bristol
Monday, November 12 2012, 10:57AM
“@BristolRed
Eyup, it's Bristol's very own Malcolm Tucker!”