SPRING | FEATURE
Allan Boyle
Maya Ladwa
“ We ’ ve put ourselves on the map for being a world class host for major events ”
volunteers taking up 1.25 million hours of work . On a wider scale , the report found that the event contributed at least £ 870m to the UK economy .
Maya Ladwa , senior executive - major sporting events at West Midlands Growth Company ( WMGC ),
Martin Gibbs
says the aim is to highlight not just Birmingham but the other six local authorities – Coventry , Dudley , Sandwell , Solihull , Walsall and Wolverhampton .
“ We ’ ve put ourselves on the map for being a world class host for major events ,” says Ladwa . “ Right in the heart of the UK , Birmingham and the West Midlands is such a strong proposition because of its connectivity , world-class venues , and our large and diverse population with a passion for attending sporting events . Over many years , including most recently hosting a successful Commonwealth Games , we have developed the expertise and ability to stage internationally significant sporting and entertainment events .
“ It was important for us to build a relationship with international federations , especially those that align with our strategy . We ’ re a young and diverse region and we want to attract those types of sporting events .”
The upcoming summit was funded through the £ 60m of Birmingham 2022 underspend , backed by DCMS and the West Midlands Combined Authority , which has also gone towards other upcoming sporting events in the city . These include the Kabaddi World Cup , a popular South Asian sport which will come to Wolverhampton in March , along with a new ice rink to be built in Dudley .
Ladwa adds that the region being easily accessible yet significantly cheaper than cities such as London is a pull : “ People are taking us more seriously as a destination to host events now . We ’ re getting approached by all sorts of organisations to bring their events here from other parts of the UK , which is exciting because the region has always been a bit of an underdog in the industry and now , we ’ re at the top of it .”
Those involved in the upcoming summit say the aim is to create an ‘ event village ’ type of environment which was seen during the Commonwealth Games . The close proximity of the ICC and its surrounding hotels will also remove the need for extra travel arrangements and will add to the event ’ s sustainable credentials .
The ICC ’ s owners , The NEC Group , is no stranger to hosting sporting events at Birmingham ’ s two arenas , Resorts World Arena ( cap . 15,685 )
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