Adrian Avis

Adrian Avis

12th June 2009
The Romans knew it and so did the ancient Greeks.  If you want to put on spectacular events, you need great venues.  Of course I may be a bit biased, having spent the last 20 years preparing and managing venues for Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.

My name is Adrian Avis and I am working with the Organising Committee helping them get those great venues.  I am here as part of a team from Event Knowledge Services (EKS) that provides information and expertise to event organisers.  This has included Olympic, Asian and Pan American Games, Rugby and Cricket World Cups, as well as several Commonwealth Games.

While EKS is based in Switzerland, I live in Sydney and most of my work is done either from Sydney or in host cities.  So, I am here in Glasgow for eight weeks to work closely with all those involved in preparing the event and will come back at regular intervals and EKS will have a small team of people here to provide operational support.

My area of expertise is the design and management of venues.  This includes the alterations and additions to venues to suit the needs of major events.  One of Glasgow’s strengths is that many of the venues exist or, where new, the planning is well under way.  However, an enormous event like the Commonwealth Games means that all the venues will need substantial alterations or additions to meet the specific requirements.  This is known as the Overlay and, while extensive, is generally done with temporary facilities to keep the costs down and avoid leaving the city with a legacy of ‘white elephants’ - venues or facilities that do not fit the long term needs.

My main focus on this visit is the Commonwealth Games Village.  This is a key venue for the Games and it is important that we get it right because it will be the home for the athletes while they are in Glasgow.  However, it will also be a significant addition to the East End of Glasgow, and so we need to get the right balance with the legacy use.

Glasgow is my fourth Commonwealth Games, having worked on Manchester 2002, Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010, so I am familiar with what it takes to put on a successful Games.  I have been to Glasgow several times over the past few years and I am always impressed by the buzz in the city, the friendliness of the people and the capability of the people I meet.  I am confident that the city can put on a great Games and that it will provide many wonderful memories for the people of Glasgow and Scotland.  I hope to keep coming back to help with the preparations and share in the excitement.

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