Agenda item

(Mr. G. Copeland, Events Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Head of City Events and Venues informed the Committee that the promoters of the Mosconi Cup were seeking bids to host the event in 2010.  The Cup was an annual nine-ball pool tournament contested between two teams representing Europe and America.  It had previously been held in such cities as London, Rotterdam and Las Vegas.  He reported that it had been estimated that approximately £100,000 would be required to host the event.  However, in the region of £40,000 of this would be “in kind” expenditure.  Benefits of the event being held in Belfast would be world-wide television coverage, Council branding at press conferences, venue locations and on the players’ kit and positive coverage in a multitude of publications and websites across the world.

            He indicated that it was intended that the event would be held in the Ulster Hall and that the City Events Unit had the necessary funding within its budget to meet the costs of holding the Mosconi Cup in 2010, a proportion of which would have been previously allocated to the Northern Ireland Snooker Trophy which would not be held in 2010 due to the unavailability of a suitable venue for the dates required.  He pointed out that other sources of funding would be sought in order to reduce the amount which the Council would be required to provide.

            During discussion in the matter, several Members expressed the view that the expenditure which would be involved in bringing the Mosconi Cup to Belfast did not represent good value for money and requested information regarding the costs which had been incurred by the Council in holding the Northern Ireland Snooker Trophy in recent years.

            In response, the Events Manager indicated that the Cup was a highly-prized competition and that other cities were intending to submit bids to host the event in 2010.  He pointed out that the organisers handled the technical issues involved in organising the Cup and obtained income from selling the television rights.  He indicated also that it had been estimated that the Cup would attract 2,000 visitors to Belfast.  However, as the game of pool attracted a worldwide audience, whereas snooker did not, it was anticipated that the event would receive considerably more television coverage across the world as it was being covered by Sky TV, compared to the Northern Ireland Snooker Trophy which had been broadcast by Eurosport across Europe only.  He informed the Members that the Council had contributed £60,000 towards the costs of hosting the Northern Ireland Snooker Trophy in Belfast and that the Council would pursue funding opportunities, both commercial and within the public sector, in an effort to reduce the £100,000 which would be required to bring the Mosconi Cup to Belfast.  He reminded the Members that approximately £40,000 of that amount would be “expenditure in kind” and would not result in direct costs to the Council. 

            Following a lengthy discussion, the Committee agreed that the Council officers submit a bid for the Mosconi Cup competition to be held in Belfast in 2010 and authorised them to undertake further negotiations with the promoters of the event to ensure that it was held in Belfast during 2010 on the most advantageous basis possible.