East Midlands to rake in £130m from World Cup
The East Midlands stands to reap financial benefits in excess of £130m if England’s 2018 World Cup bid is successful, Insider has been told. Scott Knowles, deputy chief executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Commerce, said the local economy stands to benefit enormously from tourism and employment opportunities if Nottingham is chosen as a host venue.
The city’s New Forest Stadium is the only venue in the East Midlands to have been shortlisted alongside 14 others, should England win the bid to host the football tournament.
According to official estimates, the region stands to make more than £130m if the bid is successful at the final decision, to be made on Thursday 2 December.
Knowles said: "Not only will it create a large number of local business and employment opportunities during the tournament and beyond, but there are also a host of construction firms, manufacturers and supply chain companies that will benefit in the run-up as well.
"A number of major infrastructure projects – not least a new stadium – will need to be completed in order to ensure that Nottingham is ready to host such a prestigious global sporting event, which will create jobs for local people and bring money into the economy.
"As well as hosting matches, Nottingham will be seen as an attractive place for foreign fans to base themselves, regardless of where their team is playing, thanks to its central location and wide range of accommodation."
Knowles added that once the tournament gets underway, Nottingham’s hospitality, retail and late-night entertainment sectors would all benefit "significantly" from an influx of supporters coming to the city.
Should England – and Nottingham- be successful in their respective bids, a new stadium will be constructed in the city. Disagreements ensued earlier this year between the city and county councils, as Nottinghamshire councillors refused to back a stadium which would have been built on greenbelt land in Gamston.
A Nottingham World Cup bid spokesman recently confirmed that Gamston is still the preferred site, and said: "The development of a new stadium is essential for Nottingham to have any chance of becoming a host city in 2018 and Gamston remains the site presented in the bid.”
