The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a unique opportunity not just for London but also for the East of England and the rest of the UK. They will act as a powerful catalyst for the regeneration of a key part of the Thames Gateway and will bring economic and community benefits to the wider East of England through the profile that will be given as the host of the largest global sporting event.

Background Facts:

• 11,000 athletes will compete for 299 sets of medals during the 17 days of the Olympic Games

• Athletes will be supported by 5,000 –6,000 coaches and officials, and attended by 4,000 –5,000 of members of the “Olympic Family”

• Over 7,000 sponsors will attend the Games

• 4,000 athletes and 2,500 officials will participate over 12 days in the Paralympics, which is the equivalent size of the Commonwealth Games

• 20,000 of the world’s newspapers, radio, television, and Internet journalists will cover the events and require state-of-the- art communications facilities throughout

• Over 9 million tickets will be sold, equating to nearly half a million spectators a day traveling to events in and around London

• Staging the Games will involve 90,000 operational personnel, of whom 70,000 will be volunteers, many as stewards, marshals, and drivers. Potential labour issues have already been identified in a number of sectors particularly the construction industry and the awarding of the 2012 Olympics to London will increase pressure even further. Sports and leisure is also likely to create paid employment opportunities. If the announcement of London as the 2012 Games host stimulates an increase in sports participation this could quickly feed through into increased demand for leisure centre staff, coaches and sports development officers.

The direct impact of the Olympic legacy will include:

• 1500 acres of new urban parkland – the biggest created in England for the past 150 years

• 6 major new sports venues, which include the Olympic Stadium, the Aquatics Centre, a Velopark and Hockey centre

• The Olympic Park will deliver a legacy of more than 9,000 new homes after the Games, many of which will be affordable –with 3,600 new homes created from the Olympic Village

• The IBC/MPC (Broadcasting/PressCentre) which will be designed to be a centre for attracting new businesses and creating new jobs

• Up to 11,000 –12,000 new sustainable jobs after the Games

• Raising the aspirations, education and skills achievements of young people and adults

http://www.lsc.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/ accessed 07/09/2006