Random Stuff!

[Ray Finkle]

It's such a big opportunity so I really hope the the council get some of their ambition back, the chance won't come around again for a very long time.

That said whilst there is no doubt that Birmingham has the infrastructure to handle such an event I think that Liverpool would make a far better setting. I just think that cities by the sea, or a major river, are so much more attractive.

 

[Butty]

I think I need to come back to brum. The city needs help. It needs ambition, something to say to the world we have guts. The cost, yeah it is a lot, but this is a gamma city heading to the beta zone and nothing is going to stop us. We are the best. Unbeatable. The Commonwealth games are a breeze, run of the mill. We can do anything and will do everything. So come fellow brummies and let's show the world what we can do. KRO the whole of Birmingham the UK's true Second City and nations beating heart.

 

[JENNYJET]

Cardiff has pulled out of the running to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. I can see it being Birmingham's year folks – that is if we launch a bid!

Forgive me folks but like some of you, I was born in Birmingham. I was raised fo my first 5 years in Belfast and returned to Birmingham until I emigrated to Redditch in 1985.

I rarely ever go to Birmingham, the city, but is deeply ingrained into my psyche and I long for the day when I go home to rest my bones when the time comes.

Now that has been placed upon the record, has not Birmingham previously considered Commonwealth or indeed Olympic ambitions? Just where exactly is the space to build a suitable stadium, athletes village and ancillary venues to enable the games to function? What part of Birmingham would you obliterate in order to create the centre piece Stadium?

Finally, any guess as to what football club would be gifted the stadium?

As for Liverpool, same questions but will the airport be given expansion or would Manchester again clean up???

 

[Ray Finkle]

Birmingham made a bid for the 1992 Summer Olympics but it was announced in Feb 1986 that we lost out to Barcelona. There were a number of issues surrounding the bid, not least the apparent lack of interest for the government at the time.

The link below makes an interesting read.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_bid_for_the_1992_Summer_Olympics

As for a Commonwealth Games bid I'd bet that most of it would focus around the NEC.

The proposed National Stadium (to replace Wembley) was sited there and was to be leased to Birmingham City for their home games. I'm sure that other venues around the city would play their part but I'd say that the NEC would be the focus, the air, rail and road transport links are there along with plenty of hotels and easy access into Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry as well as the rest of the UK.

I guess the other option could possibly around Saltley where the Wheels Park is. Carson Yeung had a new stadium and Chinese village planned for the area

 

[JENNYJET]

Sir Raymond, is it likely that a now privately owned NEC would consider the upheaval and development necessary to facilitate the Commonwealth Games?

I am grateful for your timely response, this is why I adore this forum, always someone there to read, digest and respond.

Thinking of London 2012, and the Manchester effort, a large tract of land was obtained compulsory to enable the project to emerge in a satisfactory way in sufficient time to enable a shake down event.

So, ignoring the NEC, where in Birmingham or indeed Solihull would one construct a Commonwealth Games site? I would sincerely hope that by 2026, there would be a world class airport with equally classy road and rail and tram links to hotels and entertainment outlets.

Sadly, I would not place any local authority in charge of such a project of this magnitude. Locally operated but central Government I.e. Whitehall must finance and control the enterprise given that the 'legacy' will find it's way into the 'consolidated fund'. The Government bank account!!

 

[Brum X]

I am on the understanding that if Birmingham did bid and was successful, then the commonwealth games would be held at a revamped larger Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr.

 

[JENNYJET]

Brum X,

I am sorry but that be likening Perry Barr greyhound Stadium as a serious venue.

Alexandra Stadium, as it is in it's location can be a training base but the centrepiece would be a world class stadium to accommodate up to perhaps 80 thousands of spectators.

I respect your response and hope to engage further in time upon this domain.

Thank you.

 

[Brum X]

Brum X,

I am sorry but that be likening Perry Barr greyhound Stadium as a serious venue.

Alexandra Stadium, as it is in it's location can be a training base but the centrepiece would be a world class stadium to accommodate up to perhaps 80 thousands of spectators.

I respect your response and hope to engage further in time upon this domain.

Thank you.

JENNYJET , I think the Alexander stadium is a bit more important though than the Perry Barr greyhound stadium. And im only getting my info from an article in the Birmingham post recently. But yeah, it was from the Birmingham post, not the most reliable source of information.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Interesting. I always assumed that a new stadium would be built.

Currently the Alexander Stadium seats 12,700 (it can hold 20,000 for music concerts) so quite an upgrade would be needed. I guess with the allotments next door there is room but from what I remember the transport links to that area aren't exactly great?

What would be the optimum capacity for such an event? 50k? 60k?

Glasgow had their opening ceremony at Celtic Park (60k), Rugby Sevens at Ibrox (52k) and the closing ceremony at Hampden Park (46k).

I guess if events are to be held at the Alex Stadium the opening and/or closing ceremony(ies) could be at an expanded Villa Park? There would be motorway and heavy rail access close by.

 

[Brummiegem]

I'll say that the Alexander stadium is important!!
Earlier this year it hosted a Diamond league athletics meeting.Mainly capital cities and some very big cities tend to host these meetings.
London,Doha,Shanghai,Rome,Oslo and Paris amongst others have or are holding Diamond league meetings this year.
Also the stadium is home to Birchfield Harriers,one of the more successful Athletics teams in the country.
A number of British Olympic,Commonwealth and World champions have been part of or are currently part of the Harriers set-up.

Those with long memories might remember the plans that were to be put in place should Brum have won the Olympic bid back in the 80's.
If memory serves a large stadium was to be built on the NEC site.
I don't know where the water sports would have been held though!!!

 

[Butty]

Love he debate.

Birmingham is home to UK athletics. They are based in the undercroft of Alex stadium. It holds 18,000 now. So let's set this up...and I am writing this as the stadium comes into shot on a mo Farah documentary. So UK athletics with the support and investment of brum city Council set themseilves up the same way that UK cycling has set itself up in Manchester at the Alex stadium: the UK centre of athletics.. Train together, live together one team. Training research accommodation and prestige all in one. Do it that way and we will be the best at athletics in the world - we are pretty good at the old bicycling I think we can all agree - and Brum gets the prestige.

We expand the Alex permanently to c25,000 with good temporary facilities for a further 20000 to 25000 for the Commonwealth games. We host an annual diamond league event and as of 2018 hosted the world indoor athletics championship more than any other city in the world, so when it comes to athletics, fair to say we are the top location worldwide...just need a decent high profile marathon and half marathon and a decent cross country event and a better stadium...this Oslo or Stockholm. So that's the main stadium sorted.

Other events, yes the NEC is no a brainer. There is no where in the UK which could host so many indoor sports event at any one time over two weeks in one location as the NEC. Plus there are other venues such as the NIA. We need a 50m pool and a Velodrome, however. Triathlon in Sutton park. Nottingham for the rowing, let's share a bit, and I am sure we can use a great park for the horses! And even bowls: we are awash with crown green bowls pitches at the back of pubs. Either flatten them a bit or tell the bowlers "no morning the southern softie flat bowling nonsense, you will chuck ya woods over that there hill from now on."

Sorted.

As my t-shirt from the 1992 bid says Bring the Games to Birmingham.

 

[Brummiegem]

Following their medal winning performance in London 2012,the Jamaican team,Usain Bolt no less,and his chums actually thanked Birmingham.Why? That is where they were based,and trained at the Alexandra stadium.Other Olympic teams also came to the region to be based,mainly because we have such good facilities.Other cities also benefitted,but to get a mention from an Olympic champion made me feel proud that night.

 

[Butty]

Brummiegem...I agree. It was a hugely proud moment and a moment which should have galvanised our sleepwalking Council into action. Now the new Council have that chance and with interest rates at record lows the costs of doing so have never been so attractive.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Following their medal winning performance in London 2012,the Jamaican team,Usain Bolt no less,and his chums actually thanked Birmingham.Why? That is where they were based,and trained at the Alexandra stadium.Other Olympic teams also came to the region to be based,mainly because we have such good facilities.Other cities also benefitted,but to get a mention from an Olympic champion made me feel proud that night.

The Jamaican team were domiciled at Birmingham University where they made use of the sport facilities whilst in warm up for the Olympics.

The team ate in the Uni refectory together with UK coaches and others in prep for the games.

They were very amenable whilst training there, hence them bigging up the city after their victory in the relay.

 

[Brummiegem]

I stand corrected Jon,thank you.
The main point still remains in that we do have excellent facilities in our region.
I think the only thing we lack are decent water sport facilities and a so called Olympic sized swimming pool.Come to think of it the less said about swimming pools the better.

 

[richard winterbourn]

Likening the facilities and international standing of the Alexander Stadium to a dog-track shows a lack of understanding of what this facility has to offer. And let's not forget that Brum also has possibly the finest indoor athletics facilities as well at the National Indoor Arena.

I'm all for banging the drum for Brum and its facilities that measure up to 21st-century standards not dumming it down to the cloth cap image of dog-racing.

And like many posters i remember the bold bid it put in for the Olympics of 1992 which, if i remember rightly, got through to the second stage of bidding.

The Commonwealth Games would be good for the city, good for the airport and good for the UK. Come on City Council, step into the ring.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

I stand corrected Jon,thank you.
The main point still remains in that we do have excellent facilities in our region.
I think the only thing we lack are decent water sport facilities and a so called Olympic sized swimming pool.Come to think of it the less said about swimming pools the better.

I wasn't trying to correct you Sir, just add to your post. They were most likely using Alexander Stadium as well. The point I was trying to make was that they were very sociable and their "supporters" responded in a big way whilst they were in town.

 

[JENNYJET]

I thank Mr. Winterbourn for his remarks ref. Dog Track and Alexandra Stadium.

I respect all views. However I believe my point regards centrepiece stadium has been missed.

Unlike Glasgow, Birmingham does not have a football stadium of sufficient stature to temporarily convert for Track and Field with the necessary seating capacity and other ancillary needs. My reference to Perry Barr Dog stadium was an attempt to illustrate the fact that using the current Alexandra Stadium cannot compare with recent stadia such as City of Manchester home of Man. City and Hampden Park, home of Queens Park FC, I think it is!!

If Birmingham wants to host the Commonwealth Games, it needs ambition to build a centrepiece stadium and not rehash a facility that has been in existence longer than I have. After the games are over the legacy aspect can many options, a Soccer stadium for ... I have no idea who the lucky club may be, a replacement Test Cricket venue using Drop-in pitches, high profile Boxing contests and an outdoor concert venue. Alexandra Stadium is not, with respect, in the game unless it is for Track and Field.

I was simply expressing my thoughts on the matter because Birmingham has been here before and nothing came of it.

Finally, it would give our Airport the kick in the rear necessary to create new space for the visiting teams from the old Empire to fly to BHX and NOT London.

A hood debate so far and thank you one and all.

 

[Jerry]

I thank Mr. Winterbourn for his remarks ref. Dog Track and Alexandra Stadium.

I respect all views. However I believe my point regards centrepiece stadium has been missed.

Unlike Glasgow, Birmingham does not have a football stadium of sufficient stature to temporarily convert for Track and Field with the necessary seating capacity and other ancillary needs. My reference to Perry Barr Dog stadium was an attempt to illustrate the fact that using the current Alexandra Stadium cannot compare with recent stadia such as City of Manchester home of Man. City and Hampden Park, home of Queens Park FC, I think it is!!

If Birmingham wants to host the Commonwealth Games, it needs ambition to build a centrepiece stadium and not rehash a facility that has been in existence longer than I have. After the games are over the legacy aspect can many options, a Soccer stadium for ... I have no idea who the lucky club may be, a replacement Test Cricket venue using Drop-in pitches, high profile Boxing contests and an outdoor concert venue. Alexandra Stadium is not, with respect, in the game unless it is for Track and Field.

I was simply expressing my thoughts on the matter because Birmingham has been here before and nothing came of it.

Finally, it would give our Airport the kick in the rear necessary to create new space for the visiting teams from the old Empire to fly to BHX and NOT London.

A hood debate so far and thank you one and all.

Any new stadium for a Birmingham Commonwealth games bid would probably need to be passed on to a football team and a Premier League one at that. Unless it could attract enough use through a year to pay for its cost and that would involve a lot of different sports.

 

[Brummiegem]

JENNYJET,interesting you mention a test cricket ground.
Edgbaston of course is one of the recognised test grounds in this country.Also one of the England teams favourite grounds.
Currently in use for the test against Pakistan,a sell-out today and probably will be tomorrow as well following today's events.
However test cricket is actually not the in thing as far as cricket is concerned.Limited overs cricket is king right now.I think the capacity at Egbaston is circa 18,000 maybe close to 20,000.
This is sufficient for most formats of the game these days,so probably not on the agenda to be replaced,unless Warwickshire decide they need to upgrade or move out.
I agree with your suggestion about a concert stadium though.The NEC Arena,whatever it is called these days does a job to a degree, but really too small for some concerts.The NIA I think is possibly too small,and the Symphony hall does a job for a particular type of music.The ceiling above the stage can actually move so the acoustics can be really effective especially for classical concerts.
I am not really into boxing,so I don't know about which venues are used for that sport,however a decent multi-purpose stadium could come in useful.Any number of events could be held there and perhaps bring even more important sporting events to our region.
The way I look at it is if something is coming to Birmingham or the immediate vicinity,then it means it is not going elsewhere and I am happy with that.