City Arena in bid to stage prestige BBC sports awards; Talks open as Liverpool aims for event coup EXCLUSIVE.

Byline: BY DAVID BARTLETT Daily Post Staff

LIVERPOOL is bidding to host the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards.

Officials at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, are in discussions with the BBC about hosting the event in December.

If successful, it would be the latest in a number of prestigious events to be held at the arena during Capital of Culture year.

Liverpool faces tough competition from other cities across the country, and is likely to find out in about a month's time whether its bid has been successful.

It is hoped that being European Capital of Culture could swing the BBC event in Liverpool's favour.

In November the arena will host the MTV Europe Music Awards, and it was also the venue for the opening weekend of the Capital of Culture celebrations.

Attracting the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards would be seen as a major coup for the city as it is one of the key dates in the sporting calendar.

Last year the award was won by boxer Joe Calzaghe, ahead of Formula One star Lewis Hamilton and fellow boxer Ricky Hatton.

In 2006 St Helens Rugby League team won team of the year while their manager Daniel Anderson was named coach of the year.

Liverpool's world champion gymnast Beth Tweddle finished in an excellent third overall in the competition in 2006. Liverpool council leader Warren Bradley said: "Bidding for this prestigious event indicates how far Liverpool has come and shows the seriousness of all part-ners to succeed; that said it is at the early stages and we are fully supportive of the Arena bid to bring the event to Liverpool."

Chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce Jack Stopforth said capturing high-profile events were crucial to future success of investment and retail in the city.

"Coming on the back of the MTV awards would be an amazing opportunity to reinforce Liverpool's credentials as a top quality location for conferences and conventions."

A spokesman for the city's official tourism body, The Mersey Partnership, added: "We're already seeing the impact major events at ACC Liverpool are having on the rest of our visitor economy.

"The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards is another huge event with the potential to raise the profile of both our superb new facilities and the wider city region.

"It would be another enormously exciting event and, with sport being such a passion in the culture of the region, what better way to welcome the UK's greatest sports men and women to Liverpool than in our year as European Capital of Culture."

Tim Banfield, general manager of the Echo Arena, said: "We confirm we are bidding to host the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, but no decision has been made yet."

Deputy Labour leader Paul Brant said: "We will do anything we can to make sure it happens."

A spokesman for the BBC said it was hoped the venue would be announced in about a month.

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CAPTION(S):

Members of St Helens Rugby Club, receiving their BBC award for Best Team of the Year, in 2006; Echo Arena, Liverpool