Sports events and regional development : Lessons from a “World Championships Region”

• Mega events are often associated with neoliberal lines of reasoning about short-term job creation and place branding. Their proponents often suggest that events taking place in one locality provide benefits to their surrounding regions and, perhaps, to entire nations. Such arguments often stem from organizing committees and event advocates who defend bidding endeavors. Whereas this has been the dominant narrative for decades (especially concerning mega sporting events), increased attention is starting to be directed towards the potential of events as catalysts for development. In the Swedish region of Jämtland, a research project has been commissioned in connection with the Alpineand Biathlon World Championships, planned to take place during the spring of 2019. Uniquely, both of these events are being hosted in the exact same region only weeks apart. The study aims to examine the aggregated economic and social impacts that these two major events will have on the region as a whole. The economic impact study will apply direct and indirect economic impact modelling whereas the social impacts will be gauged from the perspective of the local community and mapped municipality-by-municipality to understand the spatial distribution of regional social impacts. By taking a holistic approach to event evaluation, we hope to shed light on how communities not immediately adjacent to major sporting events are impacted. Moreover, we will gain a better understanding of how the perceived level of empowerment and ownership of a sporting event, impacts its social legacy. Through an evaluation of direct and indirect impacts on a regional level, this study should shed more light on the true long-term sustainability of major- and mega- sporting events and their ability to act as levers in community development. Findings from the study will be presented at the conference.

Nyckelord

Community development

evaluation

sports events

leverage

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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