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Mindful of failed legacy programs from past major sporting events, the upcoming World Stadium Congress 2016 will include an investigation of how, after the major events for which they were built or refurbished, landmark venues were left deserted.

Looking at the key reasons behind the failure of these venues, a spokesperson for International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC) Middle East, organiser of the World Stadium Congress, explained “failed legacy programs can lead to rampant operational losses, ongoing city debt and inefficiencies of adhoc facility usage for the host country.”

Set to host the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy is currently planning for its major event venues to be used on an ongoing basis after 2022, and, in hosting the World Stadium Congress with IQPC Middle East, will be congregating many of the world’s biggest names in sports and stadia.

Being held from 16th to 19th May at The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa, Doha, Qatar, this sixth edition of the World Stadium Congress will be bringing together leading industry professionals to discuss the latest in stadium construction, technology and venue management.

IQPC Middle East Conference Director David Zabinsky explains “with over 30 speakers hailing from 10 countries spanning across four continents, World Stadium Congress 2016 ... is a global gathering of the most influential and renowned sports and stadia stakeholders.

“From identifying international sports infrastructure projects and tournament specifications to discussing stadium security and innovation, the Congress will serve as an impetus to driving sporting excellence in Qatar, the Middle East, and beyond.”

Supreme Committee Competition Venues Deputy Executive Director Othman Zarzour, adds “(we are) proud to be part of an event that will bring together the local, regional and international experts on sports and stadia.

“With eight stadiums in different phases of design and construction for the proposed 2022 FIFA World Cup, the summit will cover great discussions on the delivery of these projects that will leave a lasting legacy beyond the tournament in the design, architecture and construction business."

The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy is tasked with delivering proposed tournament venues and projects for the 2022 FIFA World Cup - the first to be held in the Middle East - while ensuring that its preparations align with Qatar’s other development imperatives.

Confirmed speakers at the Congress include: Jurgen Muller, Head of Planning & Infrastructure and 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar; Othman Zarzour; Professor Dr Ashraf Sobhi, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports; Richard Keys, broadcaster and journalist at beIN Sports; Louis Saha, former Manchester United and French national team striker; Sheikh Soud al-Thani, Head of Sustainability at ASTAD; Keith Dalton, UEFA’s senior Match Operations Manager; John Beattie, Stadium and Facilities Director at Arsenal FC; and Bill Mannarelli, Director – Area Patrimonial, Espai Barca and FC Barcelona.

A study by the organisers of the World Stadium Congress, Maintaining legacy: three stadiums that were left in the dust with no legacy plan, can be downloaded at www.worldstadiumcongress.com/maintaining-legacy

Click here to view event details for the World Stadium Congress in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Top image shows the 2022 FIFA World Cup stadium in Ras Abu Aboud which will be at the heart of a mixed-use urban neighbourhood.

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