Hosting the Commonwealth Games: fostering a positive community reaction

Abstract

The successful hosting of any hallmark event relies largely on the goodwill and support of the residents of the host community. This study provides future organisers with recommendations for fostering the positive community reaction needed to achieve this crucial support and goodwill. The recommendations are based on six factors which emerged from a literature review as having the most impact on residents' feelings about hosting a hallmark event. These factors were: success of the event physical legacies cost to residents involvement atmosphere and excitement economic benefits. The research aimed to establish whether these factors were important in the context of three Commonwealth Games events: Christchurch 1974, Brisbane 1982 and Auckland 1990. Furthermore, the varying circumstances in each of the three cities at the time they were host enabled conclusions to be formed about how different contexts can alter the impact of the factors. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the use of several methods: sourcing letters to the editor of the major dailies a survey of residents resident focus groups interviews with key people including the three Games chairmen and the city mayors at, or around, the time of the Games. The results confirmed that the identified factors did impact on residents' feelings and these impacts were affected by unique circumstances within each city. It was also apparent that the factors were closely inter-related and therefore impacted upon each other. Future organisers should bear these latter findings in mind when considering the recommendations.