Bob Neill, Olympics Legacy and Growth Minister, will visit Manchester on Thursday, 26 July to attend the two Olympic football preliminary matches at Old Trafford.
This will include the Team GB men’s first match against Senegal.
Mr Neill said:
“It is fantastic that the Olympics are finally upon us and high profile events such as this Team GB football match are a fabulous way to kick things off – that this event is taking place in Manchester shows these really are a Great Britain-wide games.
“It is projected that hosting the Olympic Football will generate an economic benefit of around £30 million for Greater Manchester. This will give the area a significant economic boost, and will leave a great Olympic legacy.
My visit has also provided a wonderful opportunity to see, first hand, some of the key local growth projects in and around Manchester. The Media Enterprise Centre and the Enterprise Zone at Manchester Airport are truly world class projects. And The National Football Museum has given me the chance to catch up on my football history before seeing team GB make football history tonight (whatever the result!). They will all have a significant positive impact on the local economy providing local jobs, supporting local enterprise and attracting businesses to the area.”
There has been a huge effort from people across the UK to ensure that everything is ready for the Games, and Manchester has played a key role. These preliminary matches are a great chance to show off the North West and celebrate the role that people, places and businesses from the region are playing in London 2012. This marks the beginning of a very exciting Games period.
During his visit the Minister will also attend the Enterprise Zone at Manchester Airport and two local European Regional Development Fund projects, both of which are playing a significant role in supporting the local economy and encouraging growth. The recently opened National Football Museum, located in the city centre, is already attracting international acclaim and will draw visitors into the area from far and wide. And within a stones throw of Old Trafford at MediaCity in Salford the Minister will be shown some of the cutting edge facilities and technologies at the Media Enterprise Centre, another ERDF funded project, which is aiming to stimulate and support the growth of the media technology sector within the North West of England.
Notes to Editors
The North West has already played a key role in preparing for the Games.
Sporting
The region has seven Pre-Games training camps confirmed covering teams from 22 different nations from every continent, including the Australian Olympic Swimming team, and the American Basketball teams, who will both train in Manchester-based facilities.
The North West will play host to Olympic Football, taking place at Old Trafford. Brazil and Spain have also been confirmed to play at Old Trafford. In total the venue will host 9 matches over 7 match days including the semi-final for the men’s and women’s competitions.
The North West has 336 projects in the London 2012 Inspire programme – this includes 161 sporting projects and 48 cultural projects.
Economic
In total, at least 598 London 2012 related contracts have been won by North West businesses generating an economic benefit of at least £211.8m. To help businesses maximise the benefits from the Games, the region has hosted 90 regional business events which have been attended by over 3,927 businesses.
Cultural and Community
WE PLAY is the Northwest’s unique contribution to the build up to and legacy of London 2012 and primarily funded by Legacy Trust UK. WE PLAY is a four year region wide cultural programme supporting the development of digital culture, outdoor spectacle and young producers through the three annual programmes of AND Festival, Blaze and Lakes Alive.
There have already been more than 48 locally funded and managed cultural projects officially Inspired by London 2012.
Major cultural events already planned for this year include:
We Face Forward: Art from West Africa Today, a major exhibition of contemporary art drawn from West Africa in three Manchester locations from a wide range of artists whose work is internationally acclaimed, but little seen in the UK; and
Anthony McCall – Column, a giant column of vertical, spinning cloud rising from the surface of Wirral Waters, visible across the North West by day and night. Expected to become an internationally acknowledged landmark from the region.
The region’s Cultural Olympiad programme in the Northwest concludes with the We Play Expo as part of the Preston Guild celebrations across the final weekend of the Paralympic Games (7-9 September).
North West companies awarded contracts for London 2012 include:
Adlington Welding in Chorley provided welding equipment for the Olympic Stadium;
Leigh Paints in Bolton and Merseyside Coatings in Widnes supplied paint and coatings for the Olympic Stadium; and
Icopal in Manchester supplied containment for the Copper Box
The North West’s Games Legacy
Places, People, Play – Under the Inspired facilities programme (part of Sport England’s Legacy programme), 37 projects have been funded with £2m invested. Alongside this a further four NW facilities were funded under the Iconic facilities programme (also Sport England); the international standard indoor BMX track has opened at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester (£3m funding); Knowsley Sport & Culture Park is open (£0.5m); and Orford Jubilee Park in Warrington which was opened by HM The Queen on the 17th May. Also, £0.75m has been allocated to the development of FC United’s new stadium.
About the Government Olympic Communication (GOC) Press Office
Government Olympic Communication (GOC) provides an integrated press office service on behalf of all UK Government Departments and Agencies from the arrival of the Olympic Torch on 18 May to the end of the Paralympic Games on 9 September. Visit this website for the latest news and resources or follow us on Twitter @2012govpress.
ERDF in the Northwest
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real difference to people and businesses in the North West. With €755 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment.
ERDF in the North West is managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government – for further information visit the DCLG’s website.
For general enquiries please contact Rob Martell on rob.martell@communities.gsi.gov.uk or 07805 693605
For media enquiries please contact Government Olympic Communication (GOC) on mediaenquiries@goc2012.gsi.gov.uk or 0207 271 1700.