Stimulating urban-regeneration by hosting an Expo

Rotterdam is considering to host the Expo 2025. The World Expo is a global event that aims at educating the public, sharing innovation, promoting progress and fostering cooperation. Each edition is hosted in a different city and needs therefore big capital investments in the construction of event facilities. To justify these capital investments many cities use mega-events to stimulate the urban regeneration process in the city. This article shows that hosting a mega-event can help a city to improve its competitive position in the production of goods and services and that it can help to attract consumption to the city. Possible impacts of mega-events that contribute to this include: An improved city reputation; the introduction of new ideas; an improved social cohesion; the opportunity to fasten new infrastructure or urban renewal projects; the simulation of interregional and transnational cooperation; the possibility for local citizens to gain work experience; and the possibility for the local government to improve their administrative skills. Beside those positive impacts, there are also some impacts of mega-events that harm the regeneration process: Community alienation; An event failure; Capital investments in infrastructure and event buildings that are only necessary for the event; Environmental problems due to the construction for, and the visitors of, the event; Gentrification of the expo-area resulting in expulsion of local enterprises and citizens; Loss of control over the organisation of the mega-event; And the negative consequences of peak-demand on the tourist industry in the city. Based on a literature study and cases of the Commonwealth Games 2002 held in Manchester and the World Expo 2010 held in Shanghai, some policy recommendations for Rotterdam are made: It is important to manage a positive public opinion about the event; Involve existing regeneration policies in the event; Make a well-trained en well-skilled team to coordinate and facilitate the event-led regeneration; Think about the post-event use of the Expo area in an early planning stage; And consider the threats of peak demand during the event and the process of gentrification because of the event.