GLASGOW is in line for up to 15 hours of sports action a day during the Commonwealth Games.

 

Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg has revealed competition will start as early as 8.30am and finish as late as 11pm.

And he warned a meeting of city businessmen they need to be prepared as the city will be flooded with athletes and sports fans.

Mr Grevemberg said: "Get ready for the disruption because there will be some disruption - but forewarned is forearmed.

"There will be 11 days of sporting competition, and most will start between 8.30am and 10am and finish between 10pm and 11pm.

"On July 26, which will be Super Saturday, we will have over 200,000 people attending sports events in the city, so it is going to be a busy time and we need to be ready.

"The city is going to be absolutely buzzing. It will be one of the biggest parties in Scotland, the UK and the Commonwealth. We are very excited."

He told business leaders at the meeting organised by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce: "Clean up shop fronts, get people excited, put on a smile and a welcome. Stay here and enjoy the experience

"Talk about the Games, promote it, allow staff to volunteer and encourage staff's friends and family to volunteer.

"We all need to ensure Glasgow 2014 is a launch pad and not a landing strip."

Mr Grevemberg also revealed that a GetGlasgowReady website will be launched soon.

He said: "You will be able to find out information from all our relevant partners about what is happening to do with the Games.

"It will be updated in real time as decisions are made to keep everyone abreast of what is going on."

Earlier this week, one million Games tickets went on sale, with demand so high the website crashed.

The Games boss said: "The tickets are on sale, it is going very well and I am very excited about that.

"This is where it becomes that much more real."

Mr Grevemberg said questions had been raised recently about whether the Commonwealth is still relevant.

He said: "Seventy-one nations and territories will be coming to Glasgow.

"One third of the world's population is represented in the Commonwealth.

"Young people make up the Commonwealth and 1.2billion people in the Commonwealth are under the age of 25.

"There will be 1.5billion people either coming to the Games or watching on television."

Mr Grevemberg, who is from New Orleans, said he could think of no better place to stage the 2014 Games than Glasgow.

He said: "The 50,000 people who applied to be volunteers at the Glasgow Games surpasses Melbourne and Manchester's total applications combined."

"Glasgow is a city with ambition which really knows where it is going.

"It says it is going to do something and it does it - that is my experience.

"It has a warm history and warm people - and the Commonwealth Games is an opportunity to showcase that to the world.

"I have found in Glasgow people are really happy to share ambition and that makes the city different.

"That is creative, that is innovative and that is why Glasgow is a can-do city.

"It is not afraid of its ambitions. It is proud, not arrogant.

"London opened its arms to the world during the Olympics and I know Glasgow is going to do just the same because it does that on a daily basis.

"Glasgow has a lot to be proud of and we should pat ourselves on the back for the journey so far.

"But we are not complacent and we should all work together to make the Games a success."

vivienne.nicoll@ eveningtimes.co.uk