By Keith Aitken in Edinburgh | 21 May 2012
Preparations for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games are on track and on budget, according to the latest six-monthly progress report from organising body Glasgow 2014.
The assurance follows concern over some high-profile executive departures. Commercial director John Donnelly leaves next month with two years of his contract still to run, while the previous chief executive, John Scott, quit a year ago over a conflict of interest issue.
But Scott’s successor, David Grevemberg, reports today that the project is proceeding according to plan. He said: ‘The past six months have seen the vision and ambitions of Glasgow 2014 start to become increasingly real and incredibly exciting.’
Recent milestones include the reopening in March of the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh, following a three-year, £37m refurbishment.
The report reveals planned spending in the current financial year of some £60m, on top of the £63m spent since preparations for the Games began in 2007.
The centrepiece of the Games infrastructure will be a sports arena and velodrome at Dalmarnock in the east end of Glasgow, but many existing venues – including both Rangers and Celtic’s football grounds and the national football stadium at Hampden – will be used. The athletes’ village will also be in the east end, near Celtic Park.
Scottish sports minister Shona Robison said the report revealed excellent progress, adding that it provided a ‘glimpse of how hard work behind the scenes is being translated into a Games that will showcase the best of what Scotland has to offer’.
