Last week I was invited to be part of a panel to discuss the concept, Sport or Spectacle – do sports events really add value to Hamilton or are they just a spectacle to be endured.
I added spend to the list as I wanted to create some sense of balance but in saying that, you may enjoy the sport, I may enjoy the spectacle, and others enjoy the spend part of an event. Then at the next event we may have a different view, I may enjoy the sport, you the spend and others the spectacle. Each event is different and will attract diverse levels of audience. At the end of the day, whatever your attraction or not, they add colour, interest and commercial value to the city.
Most of you will have read about Triple bottom-line – the balance between people, place and profit. We need to ensure we consider each of these in any decision we make. If you put too much pressure on one then the others are negatively impacted – balance is the key to the smooth running of a machine or community.
I made the point that commerce enables lifestyle. If you consider towns where the commerce has been reduced or removed then you find the lifestyle is negatively impacted. The same happens when the appeal for a town or city changes – look at Wellington. For many years this was a city with a bad rap both internally and externally. Now, after some strong leadership and a message that created internal pride, it’s the place to visit, full of culture, arts, sports and spending opportunities.
From my perspective we need to stop playing at the pawn level and start playing at the King and Queen level – looking at ways to create a strong positive legacy for the region, not personal legacies.
Part of the conversation included the Home of Cycling – a story I have heard before, and I am strongly supportive of because commerce enables lifestyle. We have a wide range of infrastructure in the region that offers events flexibility, sporting opportunity, arts and cultural experience and employment. The Home of Cycling would add to the machine by offering sporting at community and elite levels, health benefits through fitness and rehabilitation, employment as the base for the 50 staff of BikeNZ and an increased tourism opportunity.
One of the least known facts of the Home of Cycling story is that the Council contribution is one QUARTER of the financial requirement and it is the Council contribution that is needed to secure the charitable entities contribution.
I am happy to contribute to a healthy, vibrant, diverse and flexible region to enable me to enjoy the lifestyle I like – aren’t you?
We appreciate your feedback – email me your thoughts: wayne@waikatochamber.co.nz
