Could a portion of the 2040 Summer Olympics be in North Wales?
In a recent meeting with local business leaders, Ken Skates, the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, laid out plans to potentially make that happen.
With the United Kingdom mulling over another Olympic bid in 2040, Skates told business leaders that supporting a bid and offering to host certain events could provide two main benefits for North Wales.
One, it would bring eyes worldwide on the region.
“Hosting Olympic events here would contribute to promote Wales on the International stage,” Skates said in the meeting of business leaders, according to BusinessNewsWales. “It would boost tourism, improve infrastructure and bring business investment. It would also mean we would see a lot of sports facilities upgraded across the north.”
Two, it would provide further incentive for the region to complete transportation projects that are needed, such as train, bus and subway services.
“Whether it’s football at The Racecourse, whether it’s archery in Chirk Castle, whether it is sailing at Holyhead, we would have to have key components of transport delivered by 2040,” Skates said. “It gives us that focal point in the horsing to complete all of the ambitious work that we have to undertake on the transport front.”
The last time the United Kingdom hosted an Olympics was when London staged the 2012 Summer Games.
With the 2028 Games in Los Angeles and the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia, a European city or region would likely be in line to host in 2036 or 2040.
From what Skates was telling the business leaders, it appears for now that 2040 is the primary focus for the UK.
“We are engaging with UK government and with metro Mayors across the north to host the Olympic Games,” Skates said. “Not because we want a big party around sport, but because it gives us a focal point to work to. It gives us another chapter to develop stories for, to develop the economy for, to develop our communities for.”
In addition to the UK, other countries that have expressed interest in bidding for the 2040 Games are Germany, Poland, Egypt and Italy.
North Wales might work better logistically if Birmingham or Liverpool/Manchester hosts rather than London.
I wonder if Germany might get 2036? To erase the memory of the 1936 games under Hitler.
As an aquatics sport geek I like the idea of a Budapest Olympics (And lately feeling very bullish on Hungary in general). 🇭🇺
No Eastern European country, except for Russia, has ever hosted a Summer Olympics.
I think that’s pretty optimistic thinking that the world will be around in 2040.
I don’t like to think about years that far in advance, things of that nature.