Commonwealth Games 2022 transformed Birmingham and is a case study for multi discipline events going forward

Commonwealth Games 2022 transformed Birmingham (AP Photo)

I was in Birmingham three times between May and August 2022. Twice in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games (CWG) and then to cover the Games in July-August. All through the Games the question doing the rounds was if the Games were a good investment or not?

Prohibitive costs and negative legacy in the immediate aftermath has forced the hands of cities, which had shown interest in hosting these games in recent times. In many cases nothing much is planned for the future and locals feel cheated by the organizers who had sold them the resurgence dream during the build up. The circus then moves on and leaves devastation in its trail is the common sentiment.

Be it the CWG or the Asian Games or the Pan American Games, it is the same story everywhere as far as multi sports events are concerned. The 2010 experience was such that India had stayed away from bidding for the 2019 Asian Games. Seeing the writing on the wall, Durban decided it was best to withdraw from hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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A piece by journalist Scott Stinson describes the state of affairs in Rio post the 2016 Olympics thus: “Deodoro remains a cluster of now-unused venues...And Maracana Stadium has been looted and vandalized when operators couldn’t pay to maintain it. The power was turned off and security contractors went home. The Olympic legacy of Rio is fast becoming one of regret.”

It ultimately boils down to cost. Humungous staging costs are making these events unviable. Lavish opening ceremonies showcasing heritage and the cities’ glory isn’t worth it in the long term. Millions of dollars spent in these ceremonies are bad investment. In trying to win the world’s attention, cities end up alienating its own citizens. Taxpayers money is wasted and by doing so the Games get a bad mark.

Integration within existing infrastructure is the only way forward for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). If that means limiting the number of events, so be it. If that means less of showcasing in front of the world, so be it. If that means the spectacle is any less, so be it.

Birmingham understood this well and may I say the CWG legacy is indeed a positive one. Compared to the city I had seen in 2011 or 2014 or even 2018, Birmingham is far more welcoming and vibrant in 2025. The New Street station has been transformed and the city centre is a thriving one. Victoria Square and Chamberlain Square, where the 2022 fan zones were created, are must visit places and you will always see tourists lounging around and enjoying themselves around the fountain with a drink or a cup of coffee. The roads are better and public transport, with the addition of trams, have added much to the city. I absolutely loved the tram ride from the city center to the Edgbaston Village.

While housing has remained a concern, the fact that very few new constructions were undertaken during the Games has worked superbly for the city. Infrastructure has been well integrated and the city is a far better version of itself when compared to a decade earlier.

The 2022 experiment, objectively speaking, has not gone wrong for Birmingham. While tales of under-preparedness dominated the narrative in the lead up, the legacy of the 2022 Games is more positive than negative. Many of the facilities built are functioning well and have now been converted into revenue generating self sufficient establishments. From what I have seen of the city this time round, I would not be surprised if Birmingham pushes the bar and mounts another bid to stage an even bigger event in the future.