Urban governance of non-mega sport events: A socio-political discourse analysis.

Abstract

Cities embark on hosting events to stimulate local economic development; claims which are not without criticism. This chapter investigates urban governance in the context of a non-mega sport event in a medium-sized city through the lens of urban regime theory. Democratic governance principles of performance, accountability, transparency and participation (Callahan, 2007) are examined by analyzing the socio-political discourse conducted in the city council minutes and the media. Residents’ perspectives are also taken into account. Findings indicate a lack of transparency and strategic planning. City council expressed multiple expected outcomes prior to hosting, including economic, tourism and social impact, infrastructure development, and increased levels of physical activity. However, tangible KPIs were missing, making it difficult to measure performance effectiveness and efficiency. This makes it challenging for concerned residents to hold city council accountable. Future research should focus on how to measure local governance of a sport tourism strategy effectively through KPIs.