The Buffalo City Metro’s bid to host the 2018 Ironman 70.3 World Championships is enthusiastically supported by councillors and the Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce, who say the multimillion-rand event would change the metro’s economy.
The approval came after the metro’s acting city manager, Nceba Ncunyana, presented a report on the proposal to council recently.
Excited ward councillors placed their full support behind the bid, which is anticipated to bring R282-million to boost the metro’s economy should BCM win the pitch in June.
Each year the city generates about R50-million from hosting the local Ironman 70.3 event, which draws about 3000 triathletes from around the country.
The world championships have existed for 10 years now, drawing 5000 professional athletes.
Executive director of the Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce Les Holbrook said they had written a letter to the metro in support of the bid.
“The world championships is a huge event and we are very excited about the bid, with Buffalo City considered to be favourable because of the quality of the bid and the fact that they have the attributions and infrastructure to hold such an event.
“There will, however, need to be an investment into the infrastructure of the city.”
Holbrook said the event would increase the economic contribution of the local Ironman 70.3 event 15 or 20 times.
Ironman SA spokesman Michael Flanagan said the big chunk of the income to host cities went towards hospitality.
“The accommodation and transport industries benefit. Usually the accommodation at the beachfront is booked out and the money is generated from the number of people that visit the area and from the time they spend in the area,” Flanagan said, adding that the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro had also expressed interest in bidding for the tournament.
BCM would be required to budget about R8-million as a host fee.
DA councillor Jan Smit said council still needed to budget for the event and suggested the National Treasury should be approached for funding.
ANC councillor Mteteleli Sam said: “Currently as we speak, it is not less than five big cities bidding to host this event.”
Sam urged the metro’s administration to look at repackaging how the event could be run properly for a sustainable future and development of the economy. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
City bid for Ironman 2018 World Champs
The approval came after the metro’s acting city manager, Nceba Ncunyana, presented a report on the proposal to council recently.
Excited ward councillors placed their full support behind the bid, which is anticipated to bring R282-million to boost the metro’s economy should BCM win the pitch in June.
Each year the city generates about R50-million from hosting the local Ironman 70.3 event, which draws about 3000 triathletes from around the country.
The world championships have existed for 10 years now, drawing 5000 professional athletes.
Executive director of the Border-Kei Chamber of Commerce Les Holbrook said they had written a letter to the metro in support of the bid.
“The world championships is a huge event and we are very excited about the bid, with Buffalo City considered to be favourable because of the quality of the bid and the fact that they have the attributions and infrastructure to hold such an event.
“There will, however, need to be an investment into the infrastructure of the city.”
Holbrook said the event would increase the economic contribution of the local Ironman 70.3 event 15 or 20 times.
Ironman SA spokesman Michael Flanagan said the big chunk of the income to host cities went towards hospitality.
“The accommodation and transport industries benefit. Usually the accommodation at the beachfront is booked out and the money is generated from the number of people that visit the area and from the time they spend in the area,” Flanagan said, adding that the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro had also expressed interest in bidding for the tournament.
BCM would be required to budget about R8-million as a host fee.
DA councillor Jan Smit said council still needed to budget for the event and suggested the National Treasury should be approached for funding.
ANC councillor Mteteleli Sam said: “Currently as we speak, it is not less than five big cities bidding to host this event.”
Sam urged the metro’s administration to look at repackaging how the event could be run properly for a sustainable future and development of the economy. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za
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