Glasgow Commonwealth Games £25m under budget

The two-week event staged in Glasgow this summer was expected to cost about £472m. The First Minister announced the saving at Holyrood yesterday, before visiting the Institute of Sport at Heriot-Watt University to meet athletes and coaches who played a “vital role” in the Games.

He told MSPs: “The Games in Glasgow was an outstanding success both in terms of its organisation and the way in which it engaged hundred of thousands of people in enjoying the biggest event that Scotland has ever hosted.

“I’m delighted to announce that in addition to being the greatest Commonwealth Games in history, it has come in almost £25m under budget.

“It makes it one of the few sporting events in history to achieve that accolade and certainly the only one which has been both the greatest Games and come in under budget.”

The total budget was £472.3m, with an extra £90m for security. That was made up of £372m of public money with the remainder coming from commercial income generated through sponsorship, ticket sales, broadcasting rights and merchandising. The budget included a contingency of £66.1m, involving a £42.3m general contingency and £23.8m special reserve. It emerged most of the contingency fund had been used up, but the special reserve had not been required.

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Mr Salmond said the event would also be a catalyst for “physical, economic and social regeneration”.

He said: “We have already announced £6m will go into Scotland’s first ever para-sports centre and £2m will support our successful Legacy programme.”