COMMENTING on today's reports that the Assembly Government could set up a new unit to attract high profile events like the FA Cup Final and Ryder Cup to Wales, Shadow Heritage Minister Paul Davies AM said:
"We share the Assembly Government's commitment to attracting more high profile events to Wales and of course welcome the many major tournaments we have staged here in recent years.
"However, today's news demonstrates a typically slow reaction from the Assembly Government to something that has needed attention for some time.
"Ministers need to be much more proactive and far less reactive.
"It is now several years since the last FA Cup Final was played in Cardiff, for example, or the decision to host the 2010 Ryder Cup in Wales.
"Ministers should have been using the time since then to plan for the future. Instead they appear to have taken a dangerously complacent 'wait and see' approach.
"I've been calling for action for some time on attracting more major events to Wales. Competition has become even more fierce in recent years.
"My concern now is that Wales risks being left behind unless the Assembly Government works closely with relevant organisations to bring the sort of events to Wales we have enjoyed in the past."
