The Commonwealth Games have proven that Birmingham is a thriving city, filled with culture, sport and the infrastructure to host big events. Yet when the crowds move on the true legacy will reside in how the city responds and plans to capitalise on its success. It is not only sporting events that can provide a huge boost to the city’s economy and employment. Below, we look at three major events Birmingham could host after the Commonwealth Games.
The Eurovision Song Contest
Love it or hate it, the Eurovision song contest is huge. Every year, contestants from across Europe (and inexplicably, Australia) gather to battle it out and see who has written the best song. Last year’s winners were Ukrainian dance folk group Kalush, followed in second by the UK’s Sam Ryder. However, due to global events, next year’s contest will not be hosted in the winner’s home country, which is what traditionally happens. Instead, it will turn to the runners-up, in this case, the UK.
Seven host cities have now been shortlisted, with Birmingham one of them. The other six are Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield. It could be as it comes straight off the back of the Commonwealth games themselves. However, the closing ceremony was a true showcase of the rich musical heritage the city has which must play some part in deciding who gets to host.
Global Gaming Expo
While film and music are well-known entertainment industries, one that has bubbled under the surface for some time is iGaming. It incorporates a range of online gambling facets, such as casinos, slots, bingo and other gaming elements. Some of these games, like Rainbow Riches Slots, have now become huge, well-known intellectual properties. Sites that host them, like Buzz Bingo, have the same brand power and use slots and casinos to buoy a sector that is worth around $300 billion to the global economy. From sites that host games, to their developers and affiliates, all these people need somewhere to meet and discuss the future.
The Global Gaming Expo provides that solution and is primarily hosted in Las Vegas, the home of casino gaming. The inaugural event featured 375 corporate exhibitors along and had 10,000 attendees. Since then it has grown and added an Asian version, hosted in Manilla and Macau. With US and Asian conferences taking place, it stands to reason that a European one should be on the cards for an industry that is booming.
UK Film Festival
The big three European film festivals are Berlin, Venice and Cannes. For some time, British film festivals have failed to attract the spectacle that these have brought, though not through want of trying. In the past ten years, the British film industry has experienced a boom period, with both productions and the quality of actors and actresses stepping up. So it makes sense that the UK should have a festival to match.
Unfortunately, the UK’s major film festivals all take place in London. With filming now occurring everywhere from Northern Ireland to Manchester and places in between, a centralised television or film festival seems to be the logical choice. Of course, Birmingham does have its spectacular festival that runs for 10 days. With the right backing and sponsorship, it would not be hard to elevate it to one of the major global art events or make it the UK’s premier cinema offering.
