Evaluating the economic and spatial effects of an event: The case of the world medical and health games

This paper examines the spatial implications of the hosting of a special event in 2003 in the City of Stirling, the World Medical and Health Games. This was the first event hosted in the city since it received City status and was an attempt to assess the extent to which the city could accommodate a medium-sized event while utilizing the sport infrastructure in the wider region to support event development. The paper argues that the use of generalized multiplier analysis does not offer sufficient precision or detail when looking at the impact of events. This paper uses a business survey technique to assess the effects on local businesses to understand in detail how an event can affect the space economy of a region during an event. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Ltd.