|
|
 |
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Games on track Officials say event not at risk
LONDON (Reuters) -- Manchester Commonwealth Games officials have denied a report in a newspaper on Friday saying next year's Games would collapse unless the government provided another 124 million pounds ($175 million) of funding. "Contrary to reports this morning, the Commonwealth Games are not at risk," Manchester 2002 director of communications Mike Hales said in a statement. "Manchester 2002 will deliver a Games next year which meets the country's expectations." A report in the Daily Telegraph said businessman Patrick Carter, who had been asked by the government to assess the cost of the Games, had told ministers that if the money was not forthcoming the event should be cancelled. The newspaper quoted Carter's review as saying: "In order to stage an adequate Commonwealth Games an additional finance of 114 million pounds is required and I would add a further 10 million pounds to this. "Looking further, the choices are relatively simple: either cancel the Games or secure an adequate level of funding to deliver an adequate event." The paper said civil servants, who had examined the report, had added: "Without such an announcement, that is additional Exchequer [government] funding, there is a substantial risk of the Games collapsing." Some 138 million pounds of government money through the Sport England authority have already been spent building facilities in Manchester, which has also received 10.8 million pounds for the opening and closing ceremonies. The Telegraph says the new money required is for the running costs of the Games, including staffing and policing, plus cash for over-spending on building and 21 million pounds for a contingency fund. "Ongoing discussions between the Games and its funders, including the government, on the latter stages of the budget are continuing as a matter of routine," Hales added. "We remain confident of a positive outcome. Selective speculation on a wide-ranging situation is unhelpful." The government is already under pressure to underwrite the costs of the 2005 World Athletics Championships planned for a new stadium at Picketts Lock in north-east London. The new Sports Minister Richard Caborn says the government will honour pledges to support that event. "We have a manifesto commitment to staging the Championships and we are committed to that," he said last week. Caborn said the government wanted to develop a long-term strategy towards building major sports facilities rather than simply erecting them for specific large events. The rebuilding of the new national soccer stadium following the closure of Wembley Stadium earlier this year has still to be started although Rodney Walker, chairman of Wembley National Stadium Limited, said work could start there later this year. He told BBC Radio last week the Football Association had pledged 100 million pounds to rebuilding it. Caborn is now examining the Wembley Stadium project.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
| |||||||||||||||
