Region backs bid for 2022 Games

BIRMINGHAM’S bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games has been officially backed by the wider region and new West Midlands mayor.

Mayor Andy Street and council leaders from across the region told Birmingham’s bid co-ordinator Councillor Ian Ward that the city had their support.

The announcement came on the day the Birmingham bid committee officially notified Government of its intention to submit a bid.

Mr Street said: “Everyone agreed that we have to support the Birmingham bid. It will be Birmingham’s name on the bid, but it will very much be on behalf of the region.”

He said that one of the mayor’s jobs was to bring the region together on projects.

“It’s an opportunity to present our ingenuity as a region,” he said.

“It’s a competition, it’s a bid, but we’ve got brilliant facilities, we’ve got a great economic case – we’ve just got to put that case forward. We’ve entered the race and now we’ve got to win it.”

Birmingham City Coun- cil’s deputy leader Ward said the city faced possible competition from a joint Liverpool and Manchester submission.

“By working together and pooling resources, we will have the best possible chance of securing the Games in 2022,” he said adding that venues outside Birmingham are like-

It’s an opportunity to present our ingenuity as a region Andy Street

ly to be part of the bid. Unofficially, the bid is believed to be considering a new swimming facility in the Black Country, using indoor halls at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry and venues in Staffordshire to make up the bid.

Cllr Ward said if one of the main considerations for Government (which decides on a single bid to go forward) is cost, then Birmingham was in pole position with established sporting venues and arenas already in place.