The Olympic Games are coming to Coventry in 2012! Our city will be an Olympic host city! Although I am more than slightly biased, these are amazing words and ones of which we should all be extremely proud.
The Olympic Games have been a huge part of my life, and both the city of Coventry and the county of Warwickshire have proud Olympic traditions.
But now we move on to a new level as we receive that treasured status as an Olympic host city. Whilst the greatest focus will be on the Olympic Park in London, events at the Ricoh Arena, which will be re-named the Coventry City Stadium during the Games, will also be broadcast around the world.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games are huge β the biggest television audience in the world is the broadcasting of the opening ceremony of an Olympic Games.
I could go on at length about the economic benefits to our city and region and could also write about the great partnerships that worked so hard to deliver this event to our city, but instead I would like to spend a moment to emphasise what the Games could do to the spirit of Coventry.
This is not just about sport or football. I believe this event can be a symbol of what Coventry can become in the future.
Sometimes we have allowed ourselves to live in other citiesβ shadows, but now with just two years to go until the London Games begin, we can use this Olympic status as a symbol of everything that is great and will be even greater about our city and embrace new levels of confidence and ambition in all we do.
David Moorcroft, Coventry and Warwickshire 2012 Lead Ambassador
