First CoCom visit to Glasgow: "Games are on course"

The Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF) Coordination Commission (CoCom) today concluded its four-day visit to Glasgow, the first of six which will take place in the lead-up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Summarising the CoCom’s findings, Bruce Robertson, Vice President of the CGF and Chair of the Commission, said:

"The project is on course. There are no ‘red flags’."

"We are satisfied with progress including the great strength of partnership, progress on planning and delivery of the major infrastructure elements such as the Athletes’ Village and the sports venues, and the clear focus on generating value and legacy for the people of Glasgow and Scotland.

"The Commonwealth Games are a catalyst for positive change and real economic impact. As an example, 78% of contracts awarded have gone to Scottish companies. The Games will create hundreds of jobs and will achieve sustainable benefits for Glasgow enhancing skills, regeneration of strategically important parts of the city, and developing improved amenity and opportunities for sport and healthy lifestyles.

"The Games governance structures are in good order. The partnership across the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and the Organising Committee is impressive; as good as we have seen of any recent Games. Evidence of this partnership can be found in the great job Glasgow City Council have done in delivering the primary venue development with all projects on time and within budget. All of this has been in close collaboration with the Organising Committee.

"We reviewed a number of areas, such as infrastructure, security, transport, workforce ramp up, finance, management and planning; none of the outcomes of the reviews were a surprise to us or the Organising Committee at this stage of the planning process. With just under three years to go the focus now moves on to detailed operational planning. 2014 may seem a long way off, but the level of activity typically accelerates at this stage of a Games project and we all need to shift into the next gear to keep pace."

"The next Coordination Commission visit is set for April 2012 and at that time we will be looking for the Organising Committee to have recruited more staff. We’ll also be undertaking a further review of Glasgow’s plans for transforming venues into Games-ready facilities, reviewing the sports programme, finalising the routes for the road courses and reviewing the Organising Committee’s ticketing programme. "

Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive David Grevemberg said:

"We are on track and on budget and we’re absolutely delighted to show the Coordination Commission members our progress, as well as discuss the pathway ahead of us. We have achieved a great deal to date, we have a great team and we are confident we will deliver an outstanding Games."

Councillor Archie Graham, Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow City Council, said:

"I am delighted with the findings of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Glasgow City Council has been making steady progress on delivering the venues and facilities we are providing for the Games, and we are already seeing results from some of the legacy projects which will make a real difference to the lives of Glaswegians, such as the 1,500 school leavers who are now in apprenticeship places."

Shona Robison, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, said:

"The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will provide us with the opportunity to show the world what vibrant and welcoming places both Glasgow and Scotland are, and in return we’ll have the honour of welcoming some of the world’s greatest athletes to this country.

"I am very pleased with the positive feedback received and I would like to congratulate the Organising Committee and partners on all the work they have done so far. With little more than 1,000 days to go the venues and infrastructure are rising from the ground in Glasgow and all across Scotland people are getting involved and feeling the excitement that the Games will bring."

Michael Cavanagh, Commonwealth Games Scotland’s Chairman, said:

"Commonwealth Games Scotland welcomes the comments from the first visit of the CGF Coordination Commission. Delivering a Games that reflects and meets the needs of athletes and the Commonwealth Games Associations has always been our prime objective. The useful interaction and advice from the Coordination Commission will help ensure we remain well on track to do so whilst also delivering a great Games and legacy for Glasgow and Scotland."

For more information, contact: www.glasgow2014.com.

As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatimtexts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-relatedorganizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.

These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.

Your complete source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.