Chancellor John Healey is expected to announce a £7m investment in his upcoming Budget this Wednesday to explore the viability of bringing the Olympic Games to northern England. This funding will support a comprehensive feasibility study focused on the prospect of mounting a bid for a so-called “Northern Games.” Team GB at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Proponents suggest that, should the initiative prove successful, the region could host the international sporting event during the 2040s. The proposal follows the precedent set by London 2012, the last time the United Kingdom served as the Olympic host nation.
Previous economic assessments of the London Games, such as a 2013 report from the UK Trade and Investment department, estimated a £9.9bn economic boost, though those figures have faced some skepticism. The government’s new study aims to provide a clear look at how such an undertaking would function in a Northern context. Although the amount was met with some scepticism, a UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) department report estimated in 2013 it boosted the economy by £9.9bn.
