Sustainable Event Development - Case Study Example

University Sustainable Event Development By Name Date Sustainable event development Introduction The FIFA World Cup is one of the largest sporting events on the planet, held after every four years. The event attracts qualified nations from all over the world after a series of elimination and knockout competitions. The coveted title puts wining nations at the hem of the game and hence the much anticipation and hype. Being a global event, the preparations begin years before the actual event with countries placing their bids more than eight years earlier. Form previous experiences, it attracts millions of people who travel from all over the world to cheer on their national teams. The next FIFA World Cup is to be held in Brazil in 2014. As it is the norm, Brazil has been under vigorous preparations to welcome the world. The biggest preparations are in terms of accommodation, infrastructure and stadia to hold the millions of people who are expected in Brazil in 2014. Tickets for the games are already on sale one year before kick off. Preparing such a huge event calls for massive infrastructural investments by the hosting countries. Billions of dollars are spent in building new stadia and improving existing ones. New hotels and highways have to be built in order to prepare for the visitors influx. Just like other huge global events, the effects and sustainability are an important aspect of the event (Raj and Musgrave 2009, 2). The FIFA World Cup in Brazil FIFA is the overall football governing body in the world. In collaboration with the Brazilian government, it has been preparing for the big event in 2014. Many issues have been raised on the readiness of the country to hold such a huge event. The numbers have been growing with every subsequent event of the World Cup. The expectations from fans and players as well have been rising. This has been associated with massive expenditures in preparation for the event. Brazil won the bid to host the games back in 2006 beating other powerful contenders such as Spain Brazil is an emerging nation and has been ranked as a second world country. It has experienced massive economic growth and is in the run to become one of the world best performing economies. Despite this cases of poverty and serious armed crimes. The government authorities have ben struggling to fight armed gang crime in the country for decades now. This poses a thereat to the stability of the country and the region as well. The World Cup has risen from a small event to a phenomenal global event. It has become more than a sporting event as countries use it to market themselves and their potential in a global perspective (Kunze, Antje, Halatsch, Vanegas, and Jacobi 2011, 14. During World Cup events, economies of host nations experience robust economic activities and increased demand for commodities. Nations also have influxes in the tourism industry and other elated industries. The last time that Brazil hosted the World Cup was in 1950. It will be among the few nations including Mexico, Italy, Germany and France to hold the even for the second time since its inception in 1930s (Silva and Gerardo, 2013, 175). In the wake of the World Cup in 2014, Brazil hosted the confederations cup in June 2013. The confederations cup is also organised by FIFA and is seen by many as a litmus test for the big event. Just like the World Cup. It attracts hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world. Though the event was seen as a success, there were massive protests in major cities in Brazil that made headlines during the event. There have never been such riots and protests in the history of the country. The protests were mainly based on the huge expenditures that the government was using to build stadia and infrastructure for the event in 2014. The billions of dollars spent had exceeded the budget estimates and this raised public concerns over the event (Reis, Carvalhedo, and DaCosta 2012, 61). Being an emerging nation, levels of poverty and unemployment have skyrocketed and the country was just recovering from the global economic recession. The riots sent a clear message to the government and organisers of the word cup that they were dissatisfied with the huge budget that the event was taking. The locals were not seeing any benefits that would accrue to them despite huge spending of public funds. Protestors argued that they could not even afford to go see their national team play in the stadia that they themselves had built. The public and activists as well viewed tat there were no tangible benefits that were being seen amongst the common citizen. Preparation for the World Cup has had a budget of over billions dollars which have since doubled due to inflation. The visitors’ influx is expected to reach millions during the games. Businesses expect a boom in sales as commodity demand rises in major cities where the games will be held. This has been the case with most World Cup events. Funds spent I preparation for the event are expected to be recouped during the event and a continued growth is expected especially from the tourism industry. Brazil also expects to use the infrastructure built to host future games such as Olympics and other global sporting events. From the event, the country also expects to create an appealing environment for tourism which is one of the main earners for the country. Therefore, the event is much more than a football showcase but an attempt to put Brazil on the roadmap of the global economy. As nations continue to grow economically and in terms of infrastructure, the odds of holding the World Cup again are low. For instance, it has taken Brazil 64 years to hold it for a second time. The infrastructure built, however, is expected to remain after the World Cup. This issue has raised concern over the economic viability of the event and the massive expenditures that go with it. Such a phenomenon was experienced in South Africa in 2010. Their stadia that were built have been left unused and still use taxpayers’ money in terms or maintenance and necessary renovations In the run to the 2014 World Cup, Brazil has faced numerous challenges on the way. With just a few months to the games, challenges range from economic, political social and environmental. Brazilians and the world at large expect a lot from Brazil. The effects of the games are already being felt in Brazil in large ways. Questions have been raised over the viability and sustainability of the event especially in such a country which has high levels of poverty and unemployment (Pillay, Udesh, and Orli 2010, 76). During the protests, allocation of tenders in the country and corruption were cited das some of the main concerns that h public hands. There were also concerns about the log term social and economic impact that the country would go through. As controversies range on, only time will tell the outcome of the event and its effects on Brazil. However, issues are already shaping up and stakeholders preparing themselves for the futures. The event will see whether Brazil will leave a lasting positive legacy or a negative one. Triple bottom line evaluation of the World Cup in 2014 In order to understand the full nature of the event, there is a need to evaluate the effects of the event from various perspectives in terms of sustainability and viability. It is crucial to look at the effects the preparations for the event has had so far and those anticipated. Data that and information regarding the event and the views people affected will be evaluated. Also historical information that is associated with the World Cup is important for the review. Economic impacts Brazil has a population of more than 190 million people. A majority f all these people if not all expect to reap economically from the event. It has been viewed as a great economic opportunity for Brazilians a country and its citizens as well. The event has created thousands of jobs as many have been involved in building of stadia and other infrastructure. Other job opportunities crested by the event include planning and marketing. The event has attracted investors from all over the world in major industries in the country. This has seen the employment opportunities increase especially among the youths in the country. As it has been the case with other World Cup events, the event is not just a showcasing if stadia and the football sport but an intensive marketing campaign by the media to the whole world (Weaver, Paul and Michael 200, 8). The World Cup represents an opportunity to reap heavily from globalisation and modernisation that comes with it. It is also worth noting that Brazil is not only preparing for the World Cup but also for the summer Olympics in 2016( Kunze, Jan Halatsch, Vanegas, and Martina 2011, 15). Brazil has over the past few years seen an increase in the the emergence of a strong middle class that has immense wealth. This has been further improved by the infrastructure developments in the country. However, expenditure for the infrastructure has been driven p by demands for increased wage rates and inflation in the country. Another fact that is raising concerns in the country is where thousands of people who have short term employment contacts will turn to after completion of the event. As it has been the experience with other nations hosting the World Cup, many people return to their normal economic activities. Social impact Brazil is recognised the world over as a footballing nation. It is also famous for its deep culture, heritage and natural sceneries. However many are not aware of the slum dwellings known as “favelas” in Rio and other towns in the country. The slums are notorious for gang related crimes and massive poverty. In a bid to make the World Cup hosting city appealing, there have been resettlement plans for squatters in the city. This has been met with a lot of hostility and resistance as residents claim to have lived in these areas for decades. According to the people, they do not see the relevance of demolishing their homes so that they can pave way for an even that will only take place for a few weeks. The elevation of Brazil to the global platform has been facilitated by recognition and bid to host the games (Gaffney 2010, 7). Another problem that has been facing the preparation for the events has been massive strikes by workers in construction sites. They have sited poor working conditions and poor pay from organisers. A national movement of World Cup stadia builders threatened to put the construction on hold over these issues. Apart from this, activists are grouping ad informing the world about the infringement of social right and abuses that have come with the preparations ( Cornelissen, Scarlett, Urmilla and Swart 2011, 308). To some of these poor people in Brazil, the event is a nightmare other than an opportunity at prosperity. Even with these, problems, some developments such as building of cable car rails and roads in the slums have been welcomed by many Environmental concerns A huge event such as the World Cup has obvious environmental impacts on a hosting nation. The largest issue revolves around tons of waste that the infrastructure development has generated. Another major issue that has been recognised by FIFA is the carbon impact that the vent will have on the country (Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) 2013). The football governing body has set regulations and reporting standards put in place to tackle environmental effects and how to control them accordingly. The country is expected to have an influx of visitors and hence the transport industry will be busy (Mendes and Cristina 2012). Furthermore, industries will have to double their production as new one are build to cope with the demand. The aim is to use friendly technology in the world spirit of environmental protection and sustainability. Conclusion The road to Brazil World Cup in 2014 has been faced by numerous challenges. Relevant authorities have been doing everything in their power to guarantee all stakeholders a successful event. The way the event will take place will have a huge of the Olympics expected to be held two years later. There are many economic, social and environmental issues that have to be addressed. A majority of these issues have their impacts beyond the event. As these issues take shape, prediction can be made on the long term and short term effects that the event will have on the country Questions 1. Does Brazil have the capacity to hold a successful Wold Cup event given the many critical challenges it faces? 2. From previous World Cup evens held in different nations, what are the possible sustainability challenges that Brazil might face in future? 3. What approaches can be used to measure the effects of preparing and holding a World Cup event? References Cornelissen, Scarlett, Urmilla Bob, and Kamilla Swart. "Towards redefining the concept of legacy in relation to sport mega-events: Insights from the 2010 FIFA World Cup." Development Southern Africa 28, no. 3 (2011): 307-318. Dickson, Chantal, and Charles Arcodia. "Promoting sustainable event practice: The role of professional associations." International Journal of Hospitality Management 29, no. 2 (2010): 236-244. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Summary of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ Carbon Footprint. Zürich: Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), 2013. Gaffney, Christopher. "Mega-events and socio-spatial dynamics in Rio de Janeiro, 1919-2016." Journal of Latin American Geography 9, no. 1 (2010): 7-29. KNIGHT, PETER, and EDUARDO MOREIRA DA COSTA. "Will the Soccer World Cup of 2014 Help Bridge the Social Gap through the Promotion of ICT and E-government in Brazil?." The Global Information Technology Report 2008–2009 (2009). Kunze, Antje, Jan Halatsch, Carlos Vanegas, and Martina Maldaner Jacobi. "A Conceptual Participatory Design Framework for Urban Planning: The case study workshop ‘World Cup 2014 Urban Scenarios’, Porto Alegre, Brazil." (2011). Leopkey, Becca, and Milena M. Parent. "Olympic games legacy: from general benefits to sustainable long-term legacy." The International Journal of the History of Sport 29, no. 6 (2012): 924-943. Mendes Malhado, Acácia Cristina. "Transporting Mega-Events to Sustainability: Assessing behaviors and attitudes of tourists and residents to promote sustainable mobility for 2014 Fifa World Cup." (2012). Meegan., Jones. Sustainable Event Management - A Practical Guide. London: Earth Scan Publishing , 2010. Reis, Arianne Carvalhedo, and Lamartine Pereira DaCosta. "Sustainability dilemmas for Brazil in hosting mega-sport events." G. Lohmann & D. Dredge, D.(Eds.), Tourism in Brazil: Environment, management and segments (2012): 60-76. Pillay, Udesh, and Orli Bass. "Mega-events as a response to poverty reduction: The 2010 World Cup and urban development." Pillay, Udesh/Tomlinson, Richard/Bass, Orli (Hg.): Development and dreams. The urban legacy of the 2010 Football World Cup. Cape Town: HSRC (2009): 76-95. Raj, Razaq, and James Musgrave. Event Management and Sustainability. Wallingford: CABI, 2009, 2009. Silva, Gerardo. "‘Call me the World Cup and invest in me’†. A commentary on Brazil’s recent street protests against the World Cup and the Olympic Games." International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development 5, no. 2 (2013): 174-178. Varrel, Aurélie, and Loraine Kennedy. "Mega Events and Mega Projects." (2011). Weaver, Paul Michael. Sustainable technology development. Edited by Paul E. Weaver. Greenleaf Publishing, 2000. Read More