Eventscapes and the creation of event legacies

Abstract

Attention is directed to the difference in event legacies created by mega-events which often cause dramatic physical changes in urban environments and those which accompany events which leave very little imprint on the landscape where they are held. The Tour Down Under cycle race, which is held annually in South Australia, is examined as an example of the latter. The spatial pattern of the event and the range of settings which support it are presented as an eventscape by drawing on concepts such as Bale's [1994. Landscapes of Modern Sport. Leicester: Leicester University Press] sportscape and Bitner's [1992. “Servicescapes: The Impact of Physical Surroundings on Customers and Employees.” The Journal of Marketing 56 (2): 57–71] servicescape. These interpretations are used to identify legacies. It is suggested that the creation of positive legacies requires communities that are part of the eventscape to engage in imaginative leveraging that is consistent with long-term strategic objectives. The paper offers a new definition of eventscape.

Keywords:

• eventscape
• event legacies
• event impacts
• cycling events
• sport events

Notes on contributors

Dr Graham Brown is Professor of Tourism Management and Director of the Research Centre for Tourism and Leisure Management at the School of Management, University of South Australia. His research has examined place attachment and involvement in a variety of leisure contexts. He is particularly interested in the relationship between tourism and event management and has conducted studies at various community events, the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup.

Dr Insun Sunny Lee is a Lecturer in Event and Tourism Management in the School of Management, University of South Australia. Her primary research interest is in the field of event management. She has particular interests in event visitor experiences and event impacts.

Dr Katherine King is a Senior Lecturer in Leisure Cultures in the Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University. Her research interests focus on the geographies of sport and leisure, in particular the inter connections between identities, lifestyles and sport and leisure spaces.

Dr Richard Shipway is Associate Dean: International Engagement in the Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University. His research interests focus on sport tourism, Olympic studies, the impacts and legacies of international sport events and sport ethnography.