Northern leaders call for region to host Olympic and Paralympic Games

Northern Mayors and Combined Authority Leaders have called on government for the region to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games should government bid for the UK to host the games.

The Great North – a collaboration of Mayors and Leaders across the North – has written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy, calling on Government to commit in principle that any future UK Olympic and Paralympic bid is based in the region. With the region already home to world-class sporting facilities and arenas, as well as strong broadcasting capabilities and transport hubs, the letter argues that the North already has many of the foundations in place for hosting the event.

The letter comes following a call from the Heseltine Institute for the North of England to host a multi-city games, citing the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s growing support for multi-city, region-wide bids.

The Great North argue that a Games anchored in the North would represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate regeneration in the region. Hosting the Olympics could also act as a catalyst for long-term investment in transport, skills, housing, grassroots sport and cultural infrastructure, with benefits lasting well beyond the closing ceremony.

Chair of The Great North and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

“The North of England has a sporting history and prowess like no other place, and we are united in our belief that our region could host a box office, world-leading Olympic Games.

“Bringing the Olympics to the UK would unite the North and the whole nation, bringing people together and unleashing a groundswell of pride in our places. The Olympics create a legacy like no other, with game-changing investment in jobs, regeneration and transport, creating opportunity for people across the North.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham added:

“For Greater Manchester, the 2002 Commonwealth Games marked a real turning point. It sparked transformative regeneration and economic growth, changing how people felt about our city region and how the world viewed us.

“An Olympic and Paralympic Games would deliver a similar impact on a much bigger scale, through long-term investment which transforms our region and leaves a legacy far beyond the Games.”