Richard Ottaway MP: Press releasses

PRESS RELEASE

3 November 2003

Richard Ottaway MP bids for a share of Olympic Gold

Richard Ottaway, MP for Croydon South, has met with Barbara Cassani, Chair of the London 2012 Olympic Bid and made the case for Croydon to be part of the bid team's plans. Teams from other countries will set up training camps all over the UK up to two years before the start of the games. Richard Ottaway has ensured that Croydon will be considered as a training venue which could bring millions of pounds to the local economy.

Other events will spread the excitement across the whole of the UK. Cultural programmes will take place for several years in advance of the games and the Olympic Torch tour in 2012 is likely to involve every major city and town in the country. During the games itself, the plan is to play the preliminary rounds of the football competition in stadiums all over Britain.

Richard Ottaway said:

"It was good to have the opportunity to press Croydon's case to Barbara Cassani. I'm sure we can work together to ensure that my constituency reaps the economic, cultural and sporting benefits of the Olympics coming to the UK."

"A London Olympic Games would see 1,500 acres of mostly derelict land in East London's Lower Lea Valley area transformed. The regeneration could lead to the creation of 1,000 new businesses, 30,000 new homes and 40,000 new jobs. It is also an opportunity for the whole of the UK to market itself as a holiday destination, not just during the Games, but in the months and years before and after. PriceWaterhouse Coopers concluded that the Sydney games generated $6.1 billion worth of international publicity and over $6 billion in spending by an additional 1.6m visitors during 2001."

Barbara Cassani said:

"The Olympics are a great opportunity for the whole of the UK, not just for London. I welcome Richard Ottaway's support for the bid and look forward to working with him to ensure that the economic benefits of the games are brought to Croydon."

Ends.

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