Event Legacies: An Empirical Testing of the Legacy Concept
Alana Thomson, Dr. Katie Schlenker &Dr. Nico Schulenkorf*
University of Technology, Sydney*Auckland University of Technology
SMAANZ Conference, Bond University, Gold Coast26th – 28th November 2009
Research Background & Aim Legacy as a justification for government
involvement in special events Long-term outcomes for a host city from staging
an event (Hiller, 2003; Preuss, 2007)
Need to maximise positive outcomes and limit negatives (Chalip; 2004; Preuss, 2007; Gratton & Preuss, 2008)
Inconsistent conceptualisation of legacy within strategic applications
Contribute to clarification of legacy understanding in the sport event context
Research Design Qualitative and Interpretive Coding Frame
5 key considerations (Thomson, Schlenker & Schulenkorf, 2009)
Document Analysis Evaluation of event evaluation documents 7 events World Police and Fire Games (1995), Sydney Olympics (2000),
Sydney Paralympics (2000), World Masters Games (2002), Rugby World Cup (2003), Commonwealth Games (2006), FINA World Championships (2007)
Nvivo 8 software for data coding, including descriptive, interpretive and pattern coding (Miles & Huberman, 1994)
Coder Checking (Miles & Huberman, 1994)
Frame for Analysis
Consideration Explanation
Terminology Use of ‘legacy’ as opposed to another term
Legacy as bestowed or planned
Legacy as automatically bestowed or needing to be planned
Temporal nature of legacy
Permanent or long-termPermanent typically infrastructure-based
Legacy as positive or negative
Legacy as positive and/or negative, same legacy, different perspectives
Legacy as local and global
Contextual and dynamic nature of sport eventsStakeholder objectives and perspectivesChallenge to balance
FindingsWorld
Police & Fire Games
1995
Sydney Olympics
2000
Paralympics
2000
World Masters Games
2002
Commonwealth Games
2006
Rugby World Cup
2003
FINA Swimming Champs
2007
Economic Impact Study
Triple Bottom Line Report
Post Games Report
Word Count 4662 363037 196693 5414 23060 36088 7188
Legacy - Words coded 0 2303 344 271 216 102 252
% of Document Coded 0.0% 0.6% 0.2% 5.0% 0.9% 0.3% 3.5%
Findings – 1. Terminology
Most reports referred to ‘legacy’ legacy outcomes; legacy assets; legacy contributions; and legacy obligations
Benefits long-term; and lasting
Legacy description
Findings
Legacy Type Description of Legacy
Facilities/Facility development/Facility upgrades/Social Housing
•Permanent sporting legacy •Permanent Olympic legacy •Permanent legacy•Enduring legacy •Important legacy •Valuable legacy•Substantial legacy•Wonderful legacy
Economy/Financial/Budgetary outcomes/Investments
•Lasting legacy•Long-term legacy •Most enduring legacy •Lasting, beneficial legacy
International awareness/Recognition/ Awareness of environment
•Most enduring legacy •Substantial legacy
Quality of life/Lifelong friendship/Contacts/Skills
•Enduring legacy•Most enduring legacy •Positive legacy
Community/Healthy Communities/Social impacts
•Fantastic legacy•Numerous legacies •Lasting legacy
Findings – 2. Legacy as planned or bestowed
Legislation
Legacy Agencies
Pre-/During Event
Post Event
Planned “As part of the legacy… M2007 developed a Sport Development program in conjunction with VICSWIM” (FINA World Champs, 2007)
CreateDevelopInvestDesignProvideContributeUpgradeGenerateEstablish
MaximiseMaintainMonitor
Bestowed “it is hoped that many will continue to be involved in volunteering” (Sydney Olympics 2000)
AnticipateHopeOpportunity
EnsureEncourageEnhanceInjectLeave
Findings – 3. Temporal nature of legacy
Legacies exist in time long-term, permanent, enduring looking back and looking forward
Long-term does not always mean permanent legacies evolve from Games time “reconfigured to ensure its long-term usage”
(Sydney Olympics 2000) reflect community interests and needs
Findings – 4. Legacy as positive and negative
Legacy largely positive “a number of benefits, which they believe will
create a lasting legacy” (World Masters Games 2002)
Legacy only negative when previous events are discussed for legacy comparison “Several previous Olympic Games have left host
cities and underwriters with an unwelcome legacy in the form of large public debt. NSW Government legislators sought to avoid this outcome” (Sydney Olympics 2000)
Findings – 5. Legacy as local and global
Legacies are available to everyone, everywhere
Vague accountability frameworks “a fantastic legacy for Melbourne and all
Victorians” (FINA World Championships 2007)
“benefits for small to medium size venues…in hosting international large-scale events” (World Masters Games 2002)
How has legacy been conceptualised, planned and evaluated in sport events in Australia?
Consideration Discussion
Terminology Time dimension emphasised, as opposed to planning
Legacy as bestowed or planned
Tension consistent with literature - transparencyRole of legislation and legacy organisations
Temporal nature of legacy
Long-term/permanentEvolving nature – community needs and interests – viability??
Legacy as positive or negative
Transparency and accountability
Legacy as local and global
Responsibilities, procedures and accountability
Conclusions & Implications
Clear conceptualisations for accountability and transparency: clarification of terminology; Identification of stakeholders; and Identification of strategies and outcomes
Transparency & Accountability = meaningful outcomes demonstrating event value learning forward to maximise future event value
ReferencesChalip, L. (2004). Beyond Impact: A General Model for Sport Event Leverage.
In B. Ritchie & D. Adair (Eds.), Sport Tourism: Interrelationships, Impacts and Issues (pp. 226-252). on-line e-book: Channelview Publications.
Gratton, C., & Preuss, H. (2008). Maximizing Olympic Impacts by Building up Legacies. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 25(14), 1922-1938.
Hiller, H. (2003). Toward a Science of Olympic Outcomes: The Urban Legacy. Paper presented at the Legacy of the Olympic Games 1984-2000, International Symposium.
Miles, M., & Huberman, A. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook. California: Sage Publications.
Preuss, H. (2007). The Conceptualisation and Measurement of Mega Sport Tourism. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 12(3-4), 207-227.
Thomson, A., Schlenker, K., & Schulenkorf, N. (2009, 6-8 July). The Legacy-Factor: Towards conceptual clarification in the sport event context. Paper presented at the International Event Management Research Symposium, Gold Coast, Australia.
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