First 2012 Cabinet meets at Olympic Park
Ministers mark 200 days to the Games by visiting venues to be used this summer.
皇冠体育app Prime Minister has today hosted the at the Olympic Park to聽discuss how the Government can secure maximum benefit from the Games.
With just 200 days until the opening ceremony of the Olympics,聽David Cameron said he wanted ministers聽to focus on making聽this the best Games ever.
鈥淎s we kick off 2012, the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the , this is the perfect time for the Cabinet to come together and ensure we are doing absolutely everything we can to make the most of this unique opportunity to showcase all the great things the UK has to offer to the rest of the world,鈥� the PM said.
This afternoon聽 to see first-hand how London 2012 will benefit the whole country.
Olympics Minister was in Durham to hear the County Cricket Club鈥檚 plans for future development and聽its work聽bidding to be a pre-Games training camp, before heading to Deerness Leisure Centre for a display by the Deerness Gymnastics Academy. Tourism Minister met staff at Wolverhampton firm聽Zaun Fencing, which designed and installed the security fence around the Olympic Park and is hoping to use this experience to secure contracts for the 2016 Games in Rio and the聽Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Future of venues secured
皇冠体育app meeting came as the future ownership of three more Olympic venues - the Aquatics Centre, Handball Arena and ArcelorMittal Orbit - was confirmed, creating hundreds of future jobs and opportunities for small businesses. Post-Games operators have now been secured for six out of eight of the permanent Olympic venues.
皇冠体育app will become a community facility for use by local people after the Games as well as a world-class venue for athlete training and international competitions. 皇冠体育app will become the capital鈥檚 third largest arena with the capacity to host concerts, shows, exhibitions, sports and other events. Up to a million visitors a year are expected at the 115-metre high ArcelorMittal Orbit, which will be run as part of a contract for facilities and estate management across the Park.
Plans for GREAT campaign revealed
Today鈥檚 meeting follows , which is using the opportunity of London 2012 and the Diamond Jubilee to showcase the best of Britain to the world and boost tourism and trade and investment.
Culture Secretary revealed that 17 major world cities will be targeted by the campaign this year. A series of international launch events will be held, including a spectacular event in Rio where GREAT images will be projected onto Sugarloaf Mountain and British music artists will perform.
鈥�2012 - with the Olympics and Queen鈥檚 Diamond Jubilee - will be one of the most exciting and momentous year鈥檚 in this country鈥檚 magnificent history,鈥� Mr Hunt said. 鈥淲e must not waste the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we have been given to showcase to the world all that is great about Britain. 皇冠体育app GREAT campaign is rousing and inspirational. It will take our message right around the world - Britain is the place to visit, study and invest in right now.鈥�
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