Governing major events legacy: Case of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

Abstract

This paper explores the emerging importance of planning and governance surrounding the concept of event legacy by focusing on an in-depth case study of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Given the long-term nature of the concept of legacy, the need for planned and thorough pre-, during and post-Games management is essential if legacy outcomes are to be monitored effectively. Research methods employed for this study consist of in-depth interviews (n=14) with policy makers, organisers, and local community associations, who were involved with legacy planning and implementation for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The findings present Glasgow’s legacy approach as an advancement in the understanding of legacy governance and planning in relation to critical event management. By designing and implementing legacy governance structures at an early stage, each stakeholder role is established and can be monitored while allowing for some flexibility within the legacy management partnerships. In addition, the notion of a partnership legacy can be seen to have grown from innovative legacy governance structures, such as collaborative working and network creation, put in place by Glasgow in the early stages of legacy planning, which can act as a model of best practice for other major event host destinations.