Major League Soccer (MLS) commissioner Don Garber is to speak at the Soccerex Global Convention 2015, which takes place at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, 7th-9th September. 

Garber will discuss MLS’ journey from its launch as a 10-club league in 1996 to one of the fastest developing leagues, attracting global stars such as Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Villa and Kaka.

Garber will also provide insight on the league’s international sponsorship and broadcasting deals, including a new multi-million dollar deal with Sky.

With MLS leading the way in respect to fan engagement, Garber will highlight the importance of digital media as a vehicle for connecting with soccer fans globally and the commercial benefits of being at the forefront of enhancing match day experience.

Garber has turned the league’s fortunes around since taking on the role of commissioner in 1999, bringing it out of a threatening period of financial underperformance and into one of stability and growth. 

Under Garber’s guidance, the league has expanded to 23 teams across America and Canada, and is well on the way to achieving its goal of 24 teams by 2020, with new franchises awarded to Atlanta and Minnesota. 

In 2015, Soccerex enters its 20th year and MLS celebrates its 20th anniversary. 

“As we begin the countdown to our 20th anniversary, it is only fitting that Don and MLS are involved in the year they celebrate the same milestone,” said Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie.

“Both our organisations have enjoyed significant growth during this period and I congratulate Don on the fantastic job he and his team have done in creating such a dynamic and forward thinking league. 

“Don’s insight into MLS’s expansion plans will prove fascinating; I am delighted he has agreed to part of this year’s event and his involvement is indicative of the top level right’s holders that will be featuring in this year’s programme.”

The Global Convention will consist of a thought provoking conference programme packed with business insight, alongside a market-leading international exhibition and extensive networking. A programme of social events completes the schedule for what is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading football business event.

For more information on Soccerex please visit http://www.soccerex.com/events/global-convention/2015, call +44 (0)20 8987 5522 or email enquiry@soccerex.com

The World Education Congress (WEC) will be held in Las Vegas in 2017, followed by Indianapolis in 2018 and Toronto in 2019, the event’s owner Meeting Professionals International (MPI) said on Monday. 

The host cities were allocated through a competitive request for proposal (RFP) process that considers factors such as location benefits, meeting venue facilities, pricing, hotel offerings, destination accessibility, unique options and local support.

"We are excited about each of these destinations and believe WEC attendees will enjoy them as well," said Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI during the opening general session of WEC 2015 in San Francisco.

"Each year, MPI strives to enhance the education and programming we deliver at WEC, so we look forward to working with our host city partners to enrich the attendee experience in the coming years."

MPI describes WEC as its signature event through which it delivers education, business and networking opportunities in North America, attracting more than 2,000 attendees including corporate, third party, and association planners, suppliers, students, industry faculty and more. 

From 2016, MPI will hold WEC during the June to early July timeframe, following membership feedback regarding scheduling conflicts with summer vacation plans, school breaks, Canada's Civic Holiday, and other industry events. 

The host of WEC 2016 will take place June 11 – 14, at the Harrah's Atlantic City Waterfront Conference Center in Atlantic City, N.J.

From July 9 – 12 2017, WEC will be held in Las Vegas for the fourth time at the MGM Grand. Las Vegas welcomed a record 41 million visitors including five million convention delegates last year. 

"We are honored to host WEC 2017 and excited to showcase the energy and excitement only Las Vegas can deliver," said Rossi Ralenkotter, president/CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. 

"There's a reason Las Vegas hosts more than 22,000 meetings a year. We offer an exceptional experience for delegates allowing them to conduct serious business and networking while also enjoying world class dining and entertainment found nowhere else."

On June 2 – 5 2018, WEC will be held at the Indiana Convention Center & Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis for the first time. Named America’s top convention city by the readers of USA Today, Indy offers a convention package unmatched in walkability and the number of hotels and hotel rooms connected by enclosed skywalks. 

"Indy has a well-earned reputation as a great event city, having hosted Super Bowl XLVI, numerous NCAA Men's Final Fours and, of course, the Indy 500, but it's also one of the fastest-growing convention and meeting destinations in the world," said Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy. 

"As a first-time host of WEC, we're looking forward to welcoming many old friends and also introducing new ones to Indy."

From June 11 – 14 2019, WEC will go to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre located in downtown Toronto, the fourth largest city in North America. Toronto attracted 14.3 million overnight visitors in 2014.

"Our community looks forward to welcoming back MPI and its partners for another exceptional international meeting," said Andrew Weir, Executive Vice President of Tourism Toronto. 

"When World Education Congress brings the leaders of our industry together in Toronto, attendees will find inspiration both in the content of the meeting and the surrounding city experience."

The US has officially confirmed that it is bidding for the 2024 Olympic Games but will not reveal its preferred candidate until January 2015. 

Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington DC all presented their plans to the US Olympic Committee (USOC) board of directors on Monday, after a six months consultation programme. 

“At our request, and because of the preliminary nature of our discussions, the cities have not spoken about their bids publicly in great detail,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. 

Panos Protopsaltis – speaker at HOST CITY Bid to Win and Olympic transport expert – is advising the USOC throughout the candidate city selection process. 

Asked to discuss the relative merits of the candidates, Protopsaltis began by talking enthusiastically about Washington DC. “It is the capital city and all central infrastructures are there – not only transport but technology infrastructures, integrated command and control structures.

“Then you have a city like Boston with an economy which is doing very well in a city that is very small – geographically it is the smallest of the four.

“San Francisco is completely different, and then you have LA which is biggest of them all. They are in the middle of a multi-billion dollar transportation programme, upgrading and expanding urban rail systems – that is a programme they have irrespective of the Games.”

City development plans will form an important part of the evaluation of the candidate cities, Protopsaltis said. “Starting as a foundation, what is your plan for the next five to ten years for the city? What changes in infrastructure are you going to make and why are you going to do it?”

“All four cities have presented plans that are part of the long-term visions for their communities,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. 

“At our request, and because of the preliminary nature of our discussions, the cities have not spoken about their bids publicly in great detail. That will be an important part of the process after we make our selection in January.”

The USOC will continue discussion the technical elements required to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the candidates in the coming weeks. 

“We are excited to announce our plans to put forth a bid for the 2024 Games and look forward to taking the next step of selecting from a group of four world-class cities to present a compelling and successful bid,” said USOC Chairman Larry Probst.

“We’re grateful to the civic and political leaders in each of the four cities for the partnership that’s been demonstrated thus far, and confident that the deliberative process we’ve put in place is going to result in a strong U.S. bid that can truly serve the athletes and the Olympic and Paralympic movements.”

The deadline for submitting a bid to the IOC is 15 September 2015 and the host city will be elected in 2017. 

The US last hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1996 (Altanta). Los Angeles has hosted the Games twice before, in 1932 and 1984, and win for 2024 would make it only the second city after London to host the Games three times. 

Earlier in the week, Rome officially announced that it will bid for the 2024 Games. Germany is also expected to enter the race, with Berlin the more widely preferred candidate over the alternative, Hamburg.

Several other cities worldwide have expressed an interest, including Baku, Budapest, Doha, Istanbul and Paris. South Africa is also expected to put forward an applicant city.

The US Olympic Committee chose Boston on Thursday as the city that will bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, over competing offers from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. 

Boston has proposed a low-cost, regional and sustainable Games in keeping with the ideals of Olympic Agenda 2020, the new framework adopted by the IOC in December within which the bidding procedure for 2024 will operate.

The engagement of public and private stakeholders in Boston’s proposal is said to have outshone its rivals.

“One of the great things about the Boston bid was that the bid leadership and the political leadership were on the same page,” Scott Blackmun, chief executive of the US Olympic Committee told the Boston Globe. 

The White House gave a statement of presidential support for Boston, saying “The city has taught all of us what it means to be Boston Strong” – a reference to the slogan adopted by the city in the wake of the 2013 marathon bombings.

The decision was also welcomed by IOC president Thomas Bach, who said “The Boston bid will be a strong one.”

A major driver behind Agenda 2020 is change perceptions about the cost and benefit of hosting the Olympic Games. Boston proposes to spend just USD4.5bn on hosting the Games, which the bid committee says will be generated from broadcasting, sponsorship and ticketing revenues.

This figure does not include publicly funded investments in civic infrastructure, which the bid committee says the city has already committed to regardless of the Games bid. 

The cost of hosting the Games would be kept down by using existing facilities, including the multi-purpose TD Garden and a number of venues operated by colleges, such as Harvard Stadium, Boston College’s Conte Forum and Boston University’s Agganis Arena.

In a proposal reminiscent of London 2012, Boston’s Olympic stadium would be temporary, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies as well as track and field events.

The US last hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1996 at Atlanta. Since then the world’s biggest multisport event has been awarded to Asia/Oceania three times, Europe twice and South America once. 

The IOC does not, however, operate a policy of continental rotation and a number of factors will determine which city is selected in 2017 as the host of the 2024 Olympic Games. 

While current round of bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games has suffered from a crisis in appetite for hosting the Olympic Games, particulary in Europe, the race for 2024 is shaping up to be extremely competitive. 

Rome is the only other city so far to have confirmed it will bid for the 2024 Games, but a long list of other cities and regions are in various stages of evaluating and preparing bids. 

Baku, Budapest, Doha, Germany, Hamburg, Istanbul, Paris and South Africa are among the possible contenders. 

The selection of Boston will perhaps be something of a surprise to anyone outside the US Olympic Committee. Los Angeles, which has hosted the Olympics twice before, was the highest profile contender. Advisors to the IOC had indicated that Washington, D.C. had the strongest technical infrastructure. San Francisco is already established as one of the world’s most popular destinations for sports, business and leisure. 

Yet this is another factor behind Boston’s success: the city is new to Olympism, having never hosted or bid for an Olympic Games before. As such, it is less likely to show complacency in its bid, offering fresh pastures in an old city.

One of Boston’s biggest challenges will be garnering public support for the Games. A public meeting has been planned for Tuesday to gather feedback as the first stage of planning for the bid.

Host City: Why did USA Swimming want to host the Trials in an NFL Stadium?

Tim Hinchey: At USA Swimming, we are always looking for ways to innovate and advance the sport of swimming. Hosting the Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will make history, as this is the first time swimming pools will be built in an NFL Stadium. We’re very excited to push the boundaries of our sport.

USA Swimming is fortunate to have a loyal and passionate fan base. The Olympic Trials will be a unique opportunity to simultaneously engage our loyal fans and showcase our sport in an iconic venue to an audience that will extend beyond existing swimming fans. New creative opportunities like these will allow us to pave the way for growing both the sport and its popularity.

Host City: What are USA Swimming’s goals for the Trials and beyond?

Tim Hinchey: Our priority remains to execute a technically flawless swim meet and ensure the operational success of the Olympic Trials. We want the viewing experience to be different from any other swim meet and to create an overall fan experience that exceeds any previous Trials. We’d love to sell out opening night, and we hope this event will break the record for the largest attended swim meet in the world. We have also set a goal of 45 million viewers across nine nights of prime coverage on NBC. We will capture real-time data during the Trials in the venue and the Toyota Aqua Zone to help digitally market the sport.

Beyond the Trials, we want to win the medal count at the Olympic Games in Paris, expand the sport’s reach, build an even bigger fanbase, and inspire young athletes to make swimming their sport of choice.

Were there a lot of cities that bid for the Trials? What stuck out about Lucas Oil Stadium/Indianapolis?

We received numerous bids from cities nationwide as part of the bid process. Indianapolis is no stranger to hosting major sporting events and is one of the significant sports destinations in the United States. This will mark the sixth time Indianapolis has hosted the Olympic Trials for swimming, so the sport has a rich history and deep roots there. And, of course, the community is fantastic and has a strong reputation for being home to passionate fans who come out in full force to support events.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1924 US Olympic Swimming Trials, which took place in Indianapolis at the Broad Ripple Park Pool. Indianapolis also hosted the 2004 FINA Short Course World Championships at what is now the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and together with the Indiana Sports Corp, we created the Swim IN Safety resource program to grant funds to organizations and pools hosting water safety classes in their community. So, these are just more examples of how vital swimming is to this community. We are proud and grateful to be able to build on the sports legacy here. Not to mention, the city has significant civic infrastructure, including premier hotels and restaurants, all within walking distance of its major sporting venues.

Sustainability is another essential aspect of our work, which is why the pools at the Olympic Trials will be filled with water from the White River and then returned to the river after cleansing treatment.

Host City: How will USA Swimming look to elevate the sport domestically with LA28 on the horizon?

Tim Hinchey: While our team is busy preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and anticipates continued success in competition, we are excited for the Games to be on home soil. We are engaged in numerous initiatives to increase domestic excitement and support for the sport. One example is our #GogglesOn Campaign, which aims to grow grassroots participation in the sport. We have also signed an MOU with the City of LA and other local recreation and park programs to provide access to swimming pools and lessons for kids across the country, which aligns with our efforts to ensure people from all backgrounds have equitable access to the sport. Additionally, we’ll continue forming Community Swim Team partnerships and giving Community Impact Grants.

Also, the ability to watch and stream the sport is highly beneficial to our existing and growing fanbase. Watching competitions and meets beyond the Olympics and learning more about our athletes keeps fans engaged, which is why, in 2023, we launched the first free NGB-supported video-on-demand destination, USA Swimming Network, for event live streams, athlete content, exclusive training and nutrition videos, and 40 years of archived race footage.

Host City: What are the priorities for USA Swimming from a governance perspective?

Tim Hinchey: We are continually growing and evolving as an organization. USA Swimming is taking the necessary steps to ensure athlete safety through our dedicated commitment to SafeSport.

We also know how important representation is, so we are working tirelessly to increase multicultural representation in our membership and elevate more women to elite coaching and governance positions.

Our nearly 400,000 members are the core of this organization, and we are rapidly increasing the number of tools and resources to help clubs recruit and retain their members. We also provide coaches with resources to aid athlete development from the grassroots level to the highest level of international competition.

Lastly, public engagement with the sport of swimming is a top priority for us. The Olympic Games are an incredible opportunity to showcase our sport and our country’s best swimmers on the global stage. We look to keep that engagement and momentum going after Paris and in the lead-up to LA28 through new and creative marketing and communications tactics.

[Source: Bay Area 2026 Host Committee] Over the weekend, the Bay Area 2026 Host Committee successfully completed its scheduled visit from the FIFA host city inspection delegation as part of the continued efforts to bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 to the Bay Area. Making its first and only in-person visit to the Bay Area ahead of the official host city selection announcement expected in early 2022, the delegation consisted of nearly 30 international football executives from FIFA, Concacaf, U.S. Soccer, and the Canadian Soccer Association. FIFA’s delegation was led by Concacaf President and FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani and FIFA Chief Tournaments & Events Officer Colin Smith.

Led by Bay Area 2026 Board President and San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido, Bay Area 2026 Executive Director Patricia Ernstrom, an esteemed group of California and Bay Area leaders made a direct pitch to FIFA about the benefits of including the Bay Area among the expected 16 host cities to be announced from across Canada, Mexico, and the United States for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The leadership group who personally participated in the presentation to FIFA on Friday included California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, two-time FIFA World Cup champion Brandi Chastain, and ownership representatives from multiple Bay Area professional sports teams. The presentation also included video messages from California Governor and former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Bay Area 2026 Honorary Chair Condoleezza Rice, as well as a hype video featuring a voiceover by Chastain.

“The Bay Area 2026 committee was honored to host these two gentlemen and their delegation and have the opportunity to make our case to bring the world's largest tournament to the San Francisco Bay Area and Levi's Stadium. I'm unbelievably proud of the support we have received from throughout the state of California,” said Al Guido. “Having the three mayors of our large cities – San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland – participate in our presentation demonstrated the strong support we have received throughout the nine counties of the Bay Area. Led by our honorary chair, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, we have tremendous leadership in this community, both in the public sector and in the private sector.”

As announced last week, the Bay Area 2026 Host Committee and San Francisco 49ers were joined by Bay Area businesses like Airbnb, Coinbase, Cruise, Google, Levi’s, Lyft, Peet’s Coffee, Salesforce, SAP, and VISA to showcase the wide-ranging support from innovative and forward-thinking leaders across the region.

“The Bay Area 2026 Host Committee stands on the shoulders of 10 Bay Area companies alongside the 49ers to join our starting 11,” said Patricia Ernstrom, Bay Area 2026 Executive Director. “They are our starting 11 because our effort to build the necessary private support for this event is just getting started. Staging an event like this requires tremendous private support and there are 38 Fortune 500 companies in the Bay Area, representing nearly 2 million employees and $11 trillion in market cap. We truly believe we are ready to be selected as one of the hosts for FIFA World Cup 2026.”

On Saturday, a tour of Levi’s Stadium – the premier outdoor sports and entertainment venue on the West Coast and award-winning home of the 49ers – highlighted the final day of the FIFA inspection visit. In alignment with FIFA’s priorities, the tour focused on the facilities specific to player performance such as the locker rooms, pitch, and related infrastructure. Already providing a high-quality natural grass playing surface, Levi’s Stadium management has confirmed their intent to work with FIFA on implementing their new pitch profile in advance of potential matches in 2026. Beyond the stadium, other stops included key locations where FIFA events – such as team training sites, team base camp locations, FIFA Fan Fests – could be held from Oakland to San Francisco to San Jose to Santa Clara.

“It is an important thing that our incentives are aligned with FIFA as it pertains to the pitch and player health and safety,” said Al Guido. “We've hosted international soccer matches, which do not let you play on a turf surface. We all know grass surfaces are healthier than turf surfaces and that’s the reason why we make the investment to have one of the best, not just in the Bay Area, but within the NFL.”

Earlier this year, Levi’s Stadium participated in a FIFA Infrastructure Workshop which examined the venue’s feasibility of hosting FIFA World Cup matches. The stadium passed with flying colors due to a history of hosting other large-scale events including Super Bowl 50, the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, 2016 Copa América Centenario, 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup, and multiple International Champions Cups. Plus, thanks to being in the heart of Silicon Valley’s innovation landscape, the stadium boasts ground-breaking technology that pushes the fan experience to a new level. Now completely cashless, the stadium also offers the world’s first-ever fully integrated 8K video replay system and world-class Wi-Fi infrastructure.

The Bay Area 2026 Host Committee also made a point of showcasing the rich Bay Area history of hosting major soccer events dating back to FIFA World Cup 1994 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 1999. The region’s diverse communities, residents, and culture were also celebrated as factors in support of its suitability to host the event, along with its consistently temperate climate that is especially beneficial to sport in June and July – the months in which FIFA World Cup would take place.

For additional information about the Bay Area bid, please visit bayarea2026.com.

Host City: What sort of a situation was Nashville in when you took over?

Butch Spyridon: Our primary attraction was a theme park. The company that owned the theme park owned two TV networks, so, we had the ability to package the city and put it out on the networks, and we relied on that for weekend visitors in summer and spring.

The theme park closed in 1998, and the networks went away. Then 9/11 hit a few years afterwards, and we were sitting here with no substitute demand generator. Our city convention center was woefully inadequate and we were just floating in the water. Even our primary source of business, the Opryland Hotel, was starting to build hotels around the country, so it was no longer a case of signing five-year contracts to come to Nashville; it was signing five-year contracts to rotate along with three, four and five other cities.

So we had to decide: do we want to be in the business of the hospitality industry, and, if so, what is it going to take to be successful?

I don’t think any other city has used events quite like Nashville as a key strategy to getting itself out of its slump – to create awareness, recognition, build the brand, generate PR and sell hotel rooms. It’s very intentional, and in 2003-2004 we put a plan together.

Three things came out of the planning process. We needed a true demand generator – a new convention center, that became the Music City Center.

Then it was to own the Music City brand. We had a nickname, but we didn’t have a brand. And we focussed on living up to the brand in every way imaginable.

And then the third leg of the stool was to use events to build the brand, to draw attention to ourselves and generate travel.

So, the cornerstones were the convention center, the brand, and big events.

Host City: What big events did you host in those days?

Butch Spyridon: First, we worked with CMA, the Country Music Association, to stage a four-day, 45,000 out of town visitors per day event. At the time it was 20,000 and dying, a very uninspiring event. We worked with them to reinvent it and move it downtown. That was the number one move, to grow that as a signature summer event.

Then we took over July 4^th and turned that into an event that sells 20-25,000 rooms and generates national PR for us.

Host City: How did Nashville manage to take ownership of something which is a national event?

Butch Spyridon: We had to make it bigger; we had to bring A-list talent to the table. And for events that go on in other places, we look at who does it best. When you think of July 4^th or New Years’ Eve, where do you think of? It’s New York. We don’t have the Statue of Liberty, but we could put on the biggest fireworks show in the country. Nobody would expect that from Nashville.

We built the reputation with A-list talent like Lady Antebellum and a symphony performed live with the fireworks choregraphed and hand fired – which nobody else was doing. We made it the biggest July 4^th fireworks show, we made sure the music was in place and we only book Nashville-based artists. We’re happy to go head to head with Macy’s or Philadelphia or Boston – our “Let Freedom Sing” show is that good.

It worked so well that the hotel community asked us to build a New Year’s Eve event. So now we are entering year nine for New Year’s Eve – 100,000 people, 20,000 hotel rooms – we built it from the ground up. For New York, New Year’s Eve is an event, but ours is a party! There’s a subtle difference there.

Host City: Nashville is renowned for music, but how has Nashville taken steps to host major sports events?

Butch Spyridon: We booked the 2014 Final Four NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, that was a big step six years ago. Then we saw what we could really do.

We booked and hosted the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue launch in 2015. We really brought it to life with a downtown festival with the Kings Of Leon headlining. We tented Lower Broadway, an eight-lane wide street with honkytonk bars and neon lights, and streamed it live. According to Sports Illustrated, it was their biggest and most successful launch. It was food, music and fashion in Nashville.

Two years ago we hosted the NHL All Star game and really turned that into an event instead of just a sporting competition in the arena – we brought it outside, we had a concert, we had celebrity guests – we elevated the All Star game in a way the NHL hadn’t done before. And now they’ve tried to continue that.

We also chased for the World Cup with the US when we lost six years ago. And this year we were part of the successful United bid, and that’s taking our domestic US national event strategy and pushing it globally.

Host City: Do you think this will be the seminal moment where you become a truly international event host?

Butch Spyridon: I think we have a decent shot; it’s not a foregone conclusion. If you think about it, ten or 11 US cities will host games. There will be training sites and a media center, and there will be a conference in February before the year of the Cup. So there are ample opportunities to score something – we obviously hope it is a game.

We know we are on display, so next summer we’ll have another Gold Cup game – it will be even more meaningful next year. When we do events, we do them at a high level. It is Nashville’s time to shine. It’s important we have a good turnout as the decision-makers will be watching not only how we execute but also how the fans respond to coming to Nashville for a soccer game.

Prior to the Gold Cup we will host the 2019 NFL Draft, which is a pretty big coup for us. Over three days, several hundred thousand people go through; it’s broadcast on multiple TV networks with international media – and we want to turn it into an international party.

The Tennessee Titans are playing in London this summer, so this further enhances our exposure and our ability to market both the football season and the draft itself.

Host City: Are you interested in other international sports championships?

Butch Spyridon: Where we have the facility, the answer is absolutely, yes. We can build a case for rugby, for International Champions Cup (ICC), when private promoters bring European teams over her. We hosted an ICC Game last year with Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur; we are told we will get one next year. Those sorts of things are very important.

One of the most fun events we host is Red Bull Flutag. The concept is they build a runway over water to see who can fly the furthest with homemade flying machines.

Do you see yourself as in competition with other cities or is it useful to get together to share ideas?

Butch Spyridon: I absolutely believe and love learning from what other cities, destinations, countries have done. We can all learn so much from each other, I do believe that, but also believe it is competitive, and we try not to give away all the secrets.

Host City: So how useful would an event like Host City be to you?

Butch Spyridon: Very useful. There are sporting related conferences like that that but there is not an event conference especially that includes international. I think it would be extremely valuable.

Host City: What are the expected benefits of hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 in Baltimore?

Terry Hasseltine: To show off Baltimore in the brightest light featuring a world cup soccer event would be invaluable for the city of Baltimore. Local residents would see just how special Charm City is and its capabilities of hosting an event of this magnitude. Restaurants would be booming with local as well as out of town visitors wanting to stay close to all the action, from the FIFA Fan Fest to all the other events that will take place in the Inner Harbor and its surrounding areas. Soccer fanatics across the globe will realize that with Baltimore’s rich history, fine arts scene, as well as sports culture and exciting nightlife, this is “The Baltimore you’re missing.”

Host City: Is Maryland looking to bid for other major international events, and why?

Terry Hasseltine: Maryland is continuously looking for international event opportunities to grow national and international awareness for our state and major cities. With four international airports in close proximity, major highways and the Amtrak, Maryland is easily accessible for all to travel. It is also important to us to have visitors and tourists travel here and experience Maryland for themselves. Within a short drive, one can visit our nation’s capital, the Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean and much more.

Host City: How important is it to host national sports events, e.g. NCAA tournaments, MLS?

Terry Hasseltine: Very important. From 2019-2022, the NCAA DI (and DIII for 2021) Women’s Lacrosse Championships will be held at Johns Hopkins University as well as Towson University. This draws fans, parents and family from around the nation to our state for several days. We want to create a positive and impactful experience for all to make visitors want to come back each year we host the event.

Host City: What part does hosting major non-sports events play in Maryland’s economic development strategy?

Terry Hasseltine: Hosting non-sports events plays a huge role in Maryland’s economic development strategy. Events such as Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival, attracting over 350,000+ attendees over three days draws a significant number of visitors to Baltimore and its surrounding areas. Air Force Service Shows that highlight the Blue Angels and others are large tourism draws for military. Several food and beverage festivals are taking place through downtown Baltimore, Annapolis and other cities that tourists and visitors travel to from out-of-state. This means generated hotel revenue, tourists in our local shops and restaurants, as well as exploring the area positively, making them want to come back in the future.

Host City: How important is it for you to learn from other cities about best practice in hosting major events?

Terry Hasseltine: It is crucial to explore other cities’ major events in order to make our events throughout the state successful. Attending and playing a role in another city’s event can give us the behind-the-scenes knowledge and first-hand experiences for what is successful and what is not, dependent on the area, for our events. The best way to learn is through experiences and conversations with other destinations and venues, which is an important tool we use when attracting major events to Baltimore and the State of Maryland.

Scotland is celebrating becoming the next host nation of The Solheim Cup following the official handover to Gleneagles at the culmination of the 2017 event at Des Moines Golf & Country Club in Iowa.
The American team triumphed over Europe in a thrilling contest which showcased the very best of women’s golf and now the responsibility for staging the biggest event in the women’s game rests with Scotland when Team USA will look to defend the title at Gleneagles in 2019.
The official handover was recognised at the closing ceremony of The 2017 Solheim Cup during which junior golfers Anna Mackay and Eilidh Henderson accepted the honour of hosting the 2019 event on behalf of Scotland.
Anna and Eilidh were chosen to represent Scotland as part of the #Project19 initiative which saw six junior girls attend The 2017 Solheim Cup as part of Scotland’s delegation to experience a major event and inspire them looking ahead to 2019.
The closing ceremony, which was broadcast worldwide, also featured a performance from up-and-coming Dundee band BeCharlotte to showcase the very best of young Scottish talent in both sport and music.
The 2019 Solheim Cup will take place at Gleneagles from 13-15 September 2019 with the PING Junior Solheim Cup played at the same venue earlier in the week. The event underlines Scotland’s commitment to supporting women’s golf and growing junior and female participation as well as showcasing Scotland as a world-class golf tourism and events destination.
Scotland’s staging of The 2019 Solheim Cup is being led by the EventScotland team within VisitScotland’s events directorate. Paul Bush, Director of Events with VisitScotland, said: “We have witnessed a truly world-class exhibition of golf in Des Moines for The 2017 Solheim Cup with huge crowds supporting both teams and a massive worldwide TV audience.  I hope this success has whetted the appetite of spectators for Gleneagles and demonstrated the sheer scale of the event coming to Scotland in 2019.
“It was a great experience for our junior golfers Anna and Eilidh, and an up-and-coming band in BeCharlotte, to represent Scotland in the handover and demonstrates our commitment to using The Solheim Cup as a vehicle to supporting young Scottish talent.”
Tickets for The 2019 Solheim Cup will be going on sale from Thursday 24th August on www.solheimcup2019.com with daily, weekly and family packages available. As well as attracting a strong golfing audience in Scotland, the event will also be aimed at families with a host of family-orientated activities available on site.
It is also a key event in Scotland’s goal of growing golf tourism with a number of Authorised Tour Operators already promoting travel packages to The 2019 Solheim Cup. Currently 12 per cent of golf visitors to Scotland are women but The Solheim Cup offers the opportunity to promote Scotland, the Home of Golf, to many more female golfers.
Golf tourism is currently worth £286 million annually to Scotland with a target to grow that to £300 million by 2020.