More than 80 operators, architects, engineers, event professionals, consultants and local authority representatives attended the one-day event. Glasgow Life’s George Hunter told delegates that the city’s sports facilities are, first and foremost, for everyday community use. Along with the stark fact that 26% of Glasgow’s children live in poverty, ‚there’s a poverty of experience,‘ he said, with part of the answer being ‚hooking people into the best facilities in Scotland.‘ But attracting people into landmark venues such as the Glasgow International Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome - where the seminar was held - requires sustained effort.

Jade Gallagher of Glasgow 2026 said Scotland has a strong record of sporting innovation, combining wider community benefits with elite events. This year’s Commonwealth Games will be smaller, with fewer sports and delivered in a ‚more sustainable, lower cost format built on partnership.‘ That model has been made possible by a ­well-maintained estate of venues that has continued to receive investment. She highlighted the delivery struc­ture that embeds Trivandi within the organising company as event delivery partner, a move designed to increase speed and agility. 

Trivandi’s Jess Gilbert said: ‚This is a different shaped model based on a different set of conditions, it requires us to think differently. It’s not the only way to do it, but it works for Glasgow.‘ She said that venue design was crucial in the delivery of the Games, ‚It’s really important to design for that second life, it enables you to host for a second, third, tenth time. That doesn’t happen by accident, it’s part of the brief from the beginning.‘

Michael Garrett, the Arena’s General Manager, said investment has been strategic rather than event-led and has deliberately avoided creating single-use centres. ‚We are community first and event ready,‘ he explained. ‚We prioritise community use of our venues, which can be flexed up but are designed primarily to deliver community benefits.‘

Track cyclist Lyall Craig was in the velodrome crowd at Glasgow 2014, discovered the sport only at university and now hopes to represent Scotland this summer. ‚That would be a full-circle moment for Scotland,‘ he told the audience in a conversation with Glasgow Life’s Director of Culture, Tourism and Events, Billy Garrett - one of the UK’s most influential leisure figures with more than three decades of service.