Newport set to feel Ryder benefit

LEGACY is a word that regularly accompanies once-in-a-lifetime sporting events for towns and cities throughout the world. And Newport is no exception as it prepares to host the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

“It is all about the legacy,” said Matthew Evans, leader of Newport City Council’s ruling Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition. “Staging the Ryder Cup is the start. Our key next target is the London Olympic Games. We are less than two hours away from London on the train, and we’ve got some excellent training and sporting facilities in Newport.”

Britain’s extremely successful cycling squad did much of its pre-Beijing Olympics preparation at Newport Velodrome, while a burgeoning sports village and the Celtic Manor venue itself could add to the city’s sporting appeal as 2012 approaches.

In the meantime, Newport has more than enough to be going on with.

“There is a real buzz around the place,” Evans added. “This is a new concept for Newport, and it is about maximising every opportunity. Newport, to my mind, has never really fulfilled anything like its true potential, so this is our unique opportunity. It’s our rugby World Cup, football World Cup and Olympic Games all rolled into one.”

As Ryder Cup host city, Newport has benefited considerably from a host of enhancement work and new facilities throughout the area.

Key projects in the 140,000-population city 12 miles east of Cardiff have included £21 million of highways improvements, a £22m railway station facelift, restoration of key landmarks such as Newport’s historic Transporter Bridge and a Ryder Cup-themed education curriculum shared with schools across Wales and the world, including next Ryder Cup hosts Medina County, US.

On a wider front, Ryder Cup Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government have established a £2m legacy fund to develop more pay-and-play courses throughout the country. More than 200 new golf holes have already been created.

Participation figures also stack up, with Golf Development Wales schemes showing an increase of 27% in primary school children playing the sport, and a 74% rise among secondary school pupils.

“The Ryder Cup is a huge shop window for us,” said Evans. “We were complete outsiders to stage it – it came out of the blue in some respects – but these opportunities are few and far between. It is something we are incredibly proud of. Work though, will not stop when the Ryder Cup finishes. We will keep on thinking ahead and moving ahead.”

Evans also paid a glowing tribute to billionaire businessman Terry Matthews, the Celtic Manor owner who has achieved a lifelong ambition in bringing the Ryder Cup to Wales for the first time.

“It was his vision and funding that was a clear driver in this,” he said.

“The Celtic Manor is a five-star, world-class resort which employs 700 full-time people and contributes about £14 million to the local economy each year.

“We have really got to get behind entrepreneurs and encourage them to expand within the vicinity.”